The Linux Life

There are often moments in life that stick with you, whether that be in a professional or personal context. One such moment for me occurred way back in 2012, when I started my Information Technology journey at the local TAFE. I had enrolled in the course simply because I thought it may keep my interest and I’d been unemployed for far too long. I had no idea where it would lead.

The subjects studied were what you’d expect for technology: networking basics, hardware, software; you get the idea. One that I found myself quite interested in, though, was Sustainability and Environment.

Some may say that sustainability and the environment had little to do with technology. We weren’t studying to work on the land; we weren’t doing science in that sense. Some in my class, I remember, made such an argument. Our teacher, I remember, negated those claims by speaking of climate change and how we can help businesses protect the environment by implementing paperless protocols and the like. Then, one day, we watched a documentary.

And it changed everything.

Agbogbloshie. That’s the nickname of what is considered to be the world’s largest e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. Many don’t give much thought to what happens to old technology when it dies. Many throw it away without a thought, without a consideration, to how it may affect the environment. To how it may affect other, poorer nations. We live in world of technological development, and each time a new device, a newer, better version of something is released, the old one is discarded, and that waste is sent to sites like the Agbogbloshie dump, sometimes illegally. A report published in 2019 by the United Nations found that approximately 50 million tonnes of e-waste had been thrown away, while only 20% of that figure is recycled properly. In 2022, that figure rose to approximately 22 million tonnes.

Photo: BBC, Navin Singh Khadka 2024

The rest?

It ends up in landfill. It ends up at places like Agbogbloshie. Computers, mobile phones, refrigerators, microwaves. Just like in the photo to the right.

And it all gets dumped.

What happens to it, after that? The some waste is pulled apart, so that valuable metals and other materials are recovered.

Metals and the like can be repurposed, reused or resold. What can’t be, is often set alight. Doing such is as dangerous to the people of Accra as it is to the environment; the smoke and toxic fumes pollute the air and the workers have little choice but to work through the respiratory problems, nausea and headaches such toxins can cause.

It’s not a pleasant site, and it’s not a life I would wish on anyone. Sadly, it’s not something that occurs in just Agbogbloshie; in fact, there are many other such e-waste landfills around the world, such as in Guiyu, located in China’s Guangdong province where a great many of their youth suffers from lead poisoning.

I’m not naive enough to think that we can eliminate such large quantities of waste. Technology will always, eventually, stop working. Nothing will live forever, and technology is no exception to that.

However, when I watched the documentary about what is, arguably, the world’s largest and most dangerous e-waste site, it lit something within me. And, in the months to follow, it was always on my mind. Especially in regards to our computers.

You see, in this particular documentary, I remember it showing that some people in Ghana had salvaged some components of computers and were able to build working devices. And one thing I remembered - one thing I always remember - was that a particular hard drive had not had it’s data wiped before the user threw their computer away. As a result, all the user’s data was now in the hands of someone halfway across the world. Had that been someone with nefarious intentions, the ex-user of the device would have been in serious trouble.

From what I remember, the video had two main messages:

1. Erase ALL personal data from your devices before you dispose of them and,
2. Dispose of all your devices properly to reduce harmful waste

Photo: Muntaka Chasant; NPR, 2024

I became somewhat interested in security after that, but it was more the fact that there was such an unnecessary amount of waste that weighed on my mind. And so, I started to wonder what we could do to prevent that.

I had a few old computers myself that I used to tinker with, experiment with. Eventually, I decided that the limitations were on the software, rather than the hardware itself. Sure, a CPU may be a bit on the slow side and a computer may have low memory, but that doesn’t mean that it was destined for the junk heap - did it?

It did if I was using Windows. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not a Windows hater in the slightest. But Windows often comes with unnecessary applications and processes which older devices cannot run properly. So, in a spark of inspiration, I decided to search for replacement systems to Windows.

And that led me to the wide world of Linux.

Linux is an open-source operating system, free to use and modify if you so choose. There are an absolute plethora of types of Linux systems - otherwise known as “distributions”, or “distros” - that one can choose from, ranging from systems designed for education to gaming to dupes of Windows. You can get systems that are ready to go from the moment you install them, or, for the more advanced user, you can get one that will allow you to customise every inch of it. You can get systems that are so tiny and use so little resources they can be run from a USB, or you can choose one that is as robust and detailed Windows is.

I'd actually never heard of Linux, prior to my searching for replacement systems. It wasn't something that was taught at TAFE, or at University when I eventually moved on to there, and the town where I live wasn't exactly...a tech hive. Until I had the need to search for it, I didn't know it even existed - and nor did I know that it's options were practically endless!

The best part is, it will often give your computer a new lease on life. If your device is struggling with Windows or MacOS, then Linux can get you a few more years from your trusty device - providing your hardware still works. I, personally, I have devices from 2010 that still work perfectly fine with Linux. Those same devices would not cope with the modern version of Windows. I also have a laptop that has a defective HDD (hard disk drive), but was able to install a version of Linux on an external hard drive as the rest of the hardware was still serviceable. It, of course, works perfectly fine and, if it weren’t for the fact that removing the external drive would cause it to fail, you’d never know the difference.

Suffice it to say, I’m a Linux lover, and I have been since I first laid eyes on it. I cannot tell you how many systems I’ve tried simply to see what they were like. I cannot tell you how many hours in a day I’ve whiled away customising my look and feel of my newest system using code. Many in my circle haven’t heard of Linux or open source software, much less know what it is.

Installing Linux is, of course, not going to save places like Agbogbloshie, or in Guiyu. But it will help reduce the amount of unnecessary wastage. It was that video about Agbogbloshie that led me trying to reduce my own wastage of devices, which then led me to find something that can do just that - reduce the unnecessary amount of wastage of otherwise decent devices. They may be old - but they can still be used.

The goal of this site is to educate and shine a light on the wonder that is open source software, to break free from paid software and the cycle of unnecessary wastage and explore the many, many other options available. Not to mention, for the most part, you don't have to spend a dime - so you can save money (or not spend any at all, if you're broke like me!) and help the environment, all at the same time!

Please note: this page first appeared on Ouvert d'Esprit, my previous website hosted on Wordpress.com. This content was copied from the site when it was disabled late 2025.

References

1. Lambert, Jonathan. 2024. "Stunning photos of a vast e-waste dumping ground — and those who make a living off it"
2. Singh Khadka, Navin. 2024. "Burning old TVs to survive: The toxic trade in electrical waste"
3. The Guardian, 2014. "Agbogbloshie: the world's largest e-waste dump – in pictures"
4. Quantum, 2024. "A Closer Look at Electronic Waste Dumps Around the World"
5. Yeung, Peter. 2019. "The Toxic Effects of Electronic Waste in Accra, Ghana"