James Burgett, ACCRC

The Alameda County Computer Resource Center (ACCRC) is a non profit organization which provides free electronics recycling. James will be speaking on the topic of giving computers to the needy through the diversion of machines from the waste stream and the difficulty of placing free hardware in a world that was trained to expect zero-sum economic behavior ("If it's free then something must be wrong with it"). He will discuss the recent installfest (350 machines assembled), including lessons learned and plans for future fests.

James Burgett founded the ACCRC, Alameda County Computer Resource Center, to essentially make money off of equipment that other people thought was obsolete garbage. Thirteen years later he’s reformatted, refurbished and donated thousands of computers to folks who might not ever have the chance to own one. The ACCRC offers workshops on how to refurbish and reuse junked equipment and how to install and use the open source OS Ubuntu Linux which is free for all. Saving valuable equipment from the landfill, James explains, is not exactly profitable for the California Electronics Recycling Initiative, which encourages recyclers to mine and grind parts rather than refurb for reuse.

Video of the Meeting

to top