Mike Benninger likes to fix old computers and give them new life.
In 2018, Benninger came up with the idea to use his skills to help others, and a few years later he co-founded Halton Tech for Teens. To date, he and his team have donated more than 300 computers to people who would otherwise not have access to them.
Halton Tech for Teens provides computers and laptops to kids in need by taking old computers, wiping them and upgrading the software if necessary, then giving them to teens for free.
“The pandemic hasn't treated everyone equally,” Benninger said. “The poorest people have been hit harder, and those who already had money have been stuck in vacation homes or working from home. And things haven't gotten much better.”
He added that many people who couldn't afford internet at the start of 2020 probably still can't afford it now. According to Statistics Canada, about 10 per cent of Canadians lacked access to the internet in 2022.
Benninger takes used laptops purchased several years ago, installs new hard drives, gives them a quick wipe down with Lysol, and then offers them to students or people new to Canada.
“Before Russia invaded Ukraine, I was being asked by a few organizations to look for devices for the newcomers,” Benninger said. “At the time it was mostly Somali and Ethiopian, but then the invasion happened and there was a migration of people and it became a priority.”
But providing devices to people in need is only half the battle: keeping perfectly usable devices out of landfills and reducing the need to manufacture new ones is just as important, and he'd like to see others do this in cities across Canada.
Newer devices are faster and larger, but they're not as easy to repair as devices made a few years ago: newer devices have parts soldered in, so they can't be removed without breaking something.
“If you have a MacBook released after 2021 that has what's called Apple Silicon, you can't upgrade it,” Benninger said.
He added that while the new computers may last longer, they will be harder to repair and will eventually break down.
There's a balance between finding a product you can rely on now and one that's reliable and upgradeable in the future. Finding a way for people to keep using the same device may not be in a manufacturer's best interest, but for consumers spending over $1,000 on a computer, it's important that it lasts.
“It takes about 500 pounds of waste to make a new laptop, and the carbon footprint, including mining, transportation and everything else, is about 500 pounds per device,” Benninger said. “We're constantly making new things — new cars, new dishwashers, new refrigerators. We're a consumer-based society.”
For more information, visit haltontechforteens.ca
