January 1, 1989

A 1962 CHRYSLER, SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA ˆ Well, 1988 is almost over and not a minute too soon. But I always feel that way about a used-up year. I forget all the good things that happened, or more likely, all the good things that came out of all the bad things that happened. But time marches on, and so do we.

And as we commence to trample on 1989, now’s a good time to ponder yon Silicon Valley. That once verdant stretch of land, now smoggy and asphalt-gray, is home to some of the world’s most glittering minds, working (let’s hope) for better new years to come. Lots of people work in Silicon Valley and find their work enjoyable, whether they’re doing chip design in a glitzy research lab or driving a delivery truck.

But there is a darker side to life in Silicon Valley, outside the regular paychecks, the BMWs, stock options, and luxury homes in downtown Palo Alto. Most people don’t like to talk about it, because they live it. Like discrimination. White-collar crime. Addiction. Burnout. People who rise to the highest level of their incompetence. Not to mention toxic waste, poisoned water, gridlock and pollution.

Yeah, yeah, so what do I want you to do about it? You may not realize it, but thousands of people wake up every day and muster the courage to change one little tiny piece of the world so they can stand to live in it. Not without pain and effort, mind you, but when it starts to happen, they feel good and so do the people around them. Empowerment is contagious.

So this is my exhortation for the new year: Do something. It’s nice to believe that everything will turn out OK, because it usually does. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start rowing the boat. I love the old song ‘Respect Yourself’ just for this one line: “.Ž.Ž. You keep talkin’ about the president, he don’t stop air pollution. Put your hand over your mouth when you cough, that’ll help the solution.”

You get the idea. Do something.

TAKE BACK THE WORKPLACE (I): This is 1989! Nobody should be discriminated against anymore. Fight it wherever you see it. Sex and race discrimination especially are rampant in the executive ranks of the electronics industry. If you can’t get a promotion or you’re underpaid, and you think it’s because of your sex or race or age, you owe it to yourself and your fellow workers to fight. But be hip. Find out how to do it right, and how the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission can protect you. That’s what they get paid for.

If co-workers are being discriminated against, encourage them to take similar action. If you know a whole group of people who are being discriminated against (sex is a likely candidate), maybe you can get together and file a group complaint.

TAKE BACK THE WORKPLACE (II): Just because the unions haven’t been able to organize workers in the electronics industry doesn’t mean that you can’t protect yourself from dangerous and toxic work situations. Contrary to popular belief, the electronics industry is far from clean, especially in some companies. A friend just told me that a bunch of small semiconductor firms in the Valley are on what’s called the “OSHA-critical” list. That means serious safety infractions were found on-site. If you work where toxic chemicals are used, like in semiconductor or circuit board production, or if you aren’t sure how toxic your environment is, investigate. Don’t wait to become a statistic.

GOT MONEY? INVEST IN ECOLOGY: People who have money are talking about the hot investment vehicles of the 1990s. Toxics management, alternative energy and new manufacturing technologies are among them because of new legislation about hazardous waste. An influx of investment may finally turn environmental technology into a market. The very wealthy can do great good here in creative ways. Wanna save the ozone layer? Buy an aerosol can factory and convert it to non-freon-based technology. And how about that Amazon rain forest?

BIRDS OF A FEATHER: Workers who are concerned about the nature of the work they do, but can’t quit because they need the money, can nonetheless find many like-minded local groups to join.

Many such groups, which in general exhort social and political change via technology, can be found throughout the Valley. Here are a few: CompuMentor (San Francisco), Society of Women Engineers (San Jose), Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (Palo Alto), Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (San Jose), Union for Democratic Communication (Berkeley), Glide Memorial’s Computers & You program (San Francisco) and High Tech Gays (San Jose). There are electronic bulletin boards like Peacenet in Berkeley, The WELL in Sausalito, CIRACS (Comprehensive Information Referral Assistance Computer System) in Pleasanton. Don’t like any of those? Start one of your own.

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH: Only a few of the Valley’s issues were touched here. What else are you concerned about? Write and let me know. And Happy 1989, may it be fruitful and participatory for everyone.

Write to Denise Caruso, Business Desk, San Francisco Examiner, P.O. Box 7260, San Francisco, CA 94120. Or contact her by computer using MCI Mail (Denise Caruso), CompuServe (73037,52) or MacNET (Caruso).