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Going Green: E for Effort – Solving the E-Waste Enigma
By Lisha Ross
E-waste isn’t just another clever e-word in an e-friendly world. As our reliance on computers, TVs, cell phones and iPods grows, so too does a massive 2.25 million ton per year heap of a two-fold problem. Not only do our discarded electronic items–as a nation approximately 300-400 million annually–overflow landfills, the toxic chemicals used to make them leach into the ground, poisoning our soil and underground water resources with lead, mercury, barium and the like.
While it may seem like no big deal to set just one end-of-its life PC on the curb on trash day, bringing down e-waste levels to a manageable level requires the participation of both big businesses and individuals, and it starts with recycling. Many large corporations like AT&T, Best Buy and Staples have already taken the first step; now it’s our turn to do the green thing.
It can be as simple as dropping off your old flat screen when you pick up your new one, or arranging a pick-up service. Some organizations offer services for free while others charge a nominal fee to cover recycling costs. Just make sure you call before you haul or check out each organization’s website to find a complete list of acceptable and unacceptable donations.
Relaxed Recycling
If you’re like most people, you probably have at least two or more inactive cell phones with chargers and accessories monopolizing space in a junk drawer. T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint stores will take ‘em off your hands and send them to a recycle center, regardless of make, model, condition or carrier.
Best Buy will accept up to three items per household per day, including tube TVs and monitors up to 32”, flat panel TVs and monitors up to 60”, DVD players, home and car audio, cell phones, MP3 players and cables, desktop and laptops with hard drive removed, peripherals (keyboards, mice, printers, etc.) small electronics, fans and vacuums, all of which are sent for recycling. They do charge $10 for TVs and monitors but it goes toward a $10 Best Buy gift card.
With the slogan “Today’s tech trash is tomorrow’s results,” Office Depot’s Tech Recycling Services program asks you to box it up and bring it in. Ask an associate for a tech recycling box, small ($5), medium ($10) or large ($15), fill it with as many acceptable items as will fit and return it to the store. Likewise, Staples’ Eco Easy program recycles monitors, printers, desktop copiers and other electronic waste for a fee of $10 per item (Dell products are free). Smaller items such as peripherals, cell phones, PDAs and rechargeable batteries are recycled free, and if you recycle ink and toner cartridges you’ll get a $2 Staples reward card for each.
Reuse Free-for-All
You know what they say; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and it may just help make our communities stronger.
The Public Education Foundation – Accepts in-kind donations of computers and peripherals in good working condition which will then be used to enhance classroom technology in our public schools.
The Blind Center of Nevada, Inc. – Refurbishes old electronics and sells them on eBay in order to fund programs and services to the visually impaired. They accept all manner of electronics, old or new, except for tube TVs. CRT computer screens require a $10 fee.
Goodwill of Southern Nevada – Accepts only functional electronics, including TVs, computers and mobile phones.
Computer Corps – Refurbishes and upgrades computer related items that are then sold at little cost or donated to other nonprofits, schools and individuals who would not otherwise be able to afford them. Unusable items are separated out and given or sold to recyclers.
Whether you recycle or donate, always remember that phones and computers contain sensitive, personal information about your life and finances, so it’s important to protect them. Most legitimate recycling and nonprofit organizations utilize standard practices for wiping out data, but it doesn’t hurt to make a preemptive strike. To delete a hard drive, use a wiping or erasing utility such as CyberCide, WipeDrive or DataEraser. If you don’t know how to delete personal contacts and info from your cell phone, you can download free instructions from www.recellular.com/recycling/data_eraser/.
Next time you upgrade to a newer, better this or that, get yourself and “E” for effort. Take advantage of all the local opportunities to preserve our natural environment, donate to those in need, and help save the biggest “E”–Earth.
Contact your local charity today!
The Public Education Foundation
799-1042
The Blind Center of Nevada
642-6000
Goodwill of Southern Nevada
214-2000
Computer Corps
732-2424
