| Here’s a Jeopardy question for you… What | | | | check with your city government to see if it offers |
| weighs 200 million tons? The answer: the amount of | | | | e-cycling as part of its hazardous waste programs or |
| electronic waste that goes into our landfills every year. | | | | with Goodwill industries . There are several additional |
| Computers, monitors, cell phones, DVD players, copy | | | | organizations you can check that offer training |
| machines, TV sets… you get the picture. | | | | programs that teach students and individuals how to |
| Most, if not all of this electronic waste, contains | | | | refurbish used electronics which are then donated to |
| hazardous chemicals like mercury, lead and chromium | | | | local schools: |
| that end up leaching into our ground water from landfills | | | | Students Recycling Used Technology (StRUT) |
| or being emitted into the air from incinerators causing a | | | | Learning and Information Networking for Community |
| GROWING environmental and health crisis. This | | | | via Technology (LINCT) |
| problem is fueled by the fast paced growth of new | | | | Reuse Development Organization (ReDO) |
| technology that renders electronic products obsolete | | | | Even Sam’s Club has an interesting program that |
| long before their normal lifecycle ends and the fact | | | | runs in cooperation with N.E.W. Customer Service |
| that most people do not know how to properly | | | | Companies, Inc. Members of the organization who |
| dispose of these types of products. In fact, most | | | | want to recycle computers, LCD monitors, printers, |
| don’t know that these products can be recycled | | | | camcorders, digital cameras and MP3 players, can log |
| and reused. | | | | onto the program’s website and print a FREE |
| But discarded electronics can be properly disposed of | | | | shipping label to have the products mailed to N.E.W. |
| or recycled and it is easier than most people think. | | | | Those members will receive a Sam’s Gift Card for |
| Tons of companies have programs that allow you to | | | | the value of the donated item. All donated items are |
| donate usable electronics to churches and schools, | | | | either refurbished or disassembled and the parts are |
| and other companies will recycle usable components, | | | | used to rebuild electronics or recycled into raw material |
| raw materials and materials like plastics, glass and | | | | and reused. |
| aluminum. Many cities also have e-waste pick up as | | | | The final pieces to this recycle cycle are personal |
| part of their hazardous waste pick-up programs. | | | | data security and rethinking your purchasing habits. |
| You can even take advantage of tax breaks when | | | | You need to protect all your personal data contained |
| you donate your unwanted electronics. The 21st | | | | on computer hard drives and cell phones. Please |
| Century Classrooms Act for Private Technology | | | | make sure to remove ALL stored phone numbers and |
| Investment allows large companies to donate used | | | | call logs from your cell phone and you may even want |
| equipment to public and private schools for tax breaks | | | | to remove the SIM card to insure protection. Cleaning |
| and donations to nonprofits can be written off. You | | | | up your computer may prove a little more difficult but |
| will need to check with each nonprofit organization | | | | is equally important. If you are unsure of how to do |
| regarding its particular documentation for your tax | | | | this you can find FREE hard-drive erasers through |
| returns. | | | | your favorite search engine. Type in “free |
| The environmental benefit to donating or recycling | | | | hard-drive eraser cleaners.” |
| used electronics goes far beyond just keeping harmful | | | | Although there are no laws governing the use of |
| chemicals out of our landfills; it also helps conserve our | | | | hazardous materials in electronics equipment you can |
| precious natural resources. It takes approximately | | | | help to encourage manufacturers to move in a |
| 530 pounds of fossil fuel, 50 pounds of chemicals and | | | | “greener” direction by considering the following |
| 416 gallons of water to produce one desktop | | | | when buying your next piece of equipment: |
| computer. Recycling electronic components can help | | | | 1. Does the manufacturer use recycled materials in |
| preserve these resources and can also help use far | | | | their products? |
| less energy than the production of new components. | | | | 2. Are the products designed for easy upgrades and |
| Mining of aluminum, for example, uses 20 times the | | | | disassembly? |
| amount of energy it takes to recycle the same | | | | 3. Does the manufacturer offer a lease or “take |
| amount of aluminum from electronic components. | | | | back” program? |
| Last year alone, electronics recyclers recovered over | | | | 4. Does the manufacturer use minimal toxic materials in |
| 100 million pounds of materials like aluminum, steel, glass | | | | their equipment? |
| and plastic which was reused. | | | | 5. Does the manufacturer use minimal or recyclable |
| Now that we know the benefits of e-cycling let’s, | | | | packaging? |
| figure out how to find an e-cycler in your area. You | | | | The age of electronics is upon us and with the |
| can start with the Electronic Industry Alliance . This site | | | | constant introduction of new technology, system |
| has an easy to use map that allows you to search for | | | | upgrades and fancy new gadgets coming at us daily |
| e-cycling by state and offers you several other helpful | | | | we need to be more conscious of what we do with |
| links to guide you through the process. You can also | | | | our e-waste. |
