https://environmental-action.org/blog/3-simple-ways-eco-hero-reduce-e-waste/
Three Simple Ways to Be an Eco-Hero and Reduce E-Waste and Pollution
With the release of another generation of iPhones and the Google Pixel,
and the impending holiday shopping season, we’re about to discard an
estimated 130 million old cell phones this year.1 Less than half are
likely to be recycled.2 Read on to find out how you can recycle your
e-waste and help nature…
E-Waste Recycling is Needed
When we throw old electronics away instead of recycling them, there are
consequences for our planet. Electronic waste pollutes our air, water
and soil, and damages ecosystems. Lead, arsenic, cadmium and flame
retardants are just a few of the toxic substances that end up in our
environment or our bodies when electronics are tossed in the trash.3
We can prevent many, if not all, of these effects if we recycle our
electronics properly — and it’s simple!
How You Can Help Reduce E-Waste and Pollution
1. Buy less stuff.
One way we can reduce this waste is to buy fewer things. That’s a big
challenge in a consumer culture driven by planned obsolescence.
Ask yourself:
Do I really need a new phone?
Can I update my existing software instead of buying a new device?
Am I really going to use this new hardware differently than what I
currently own?
Why do I want a new device?
As we challenge ourselves to resist the pressure to buy more things, one
easy – yet important – step is to recycle our old products.
2. Recycle your old electronics
What to do:
Gather your old electronics — cell phones, computers, printers, gaming
systems — and see what you have: what are the brands? What types of
equipment?
Where to go:
You can go directly to a participating retailer:
Apple products: Either stop by an Apple store, or visit the Apple
recycling page to request a prepaid shipping label. In some cases, Apple
will send you a gift card.
Google products: Some products in some states qualify for Google’s
prepaid shipping program. Find out if yours qualifies and request the
mailing label. You can find information on Google’s program here.
Best Buy and Staples have free electronics recycling programs.
Best Buy also provides a gift card for qualifying items that could be
refurbished or resold. If you have other products, you can stop by one
of these stores.
Or, you can find an electronic recycling program in your neighborhood:
These states have government-sponsored e-recycling programs:
Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New
York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and
Wisconsin.
These states have Apple-sponsored programs: Missouri, North
Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia. Just fill out this request form.
Or, use this map to find a recycling center near you.
3. Spread the word — Encourage your friends to be eco-heroes and reduce
e-waste too.
1 Earthtalk, “How to Reduce the Toxic Impact of Your Ex-Smartphone,”
Scientific American, February 20, 2015.
2 “Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2014 Fact Sheet,” United
States Environmental Protection Agency, November 2016.
3 Denise Wilson, “The Impacts of Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment on the Environment,” University of Washington Electrical
Engineering, 2016.
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Speaking of recycling:
https://www.mail-archive.com/sustainablelorgbiofuel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/msg82524.html
(My old Blackberry Z10 is now used as a WiFi hot spot [the Z10 has
amazing radios in it] and GPS navigation tool. The older BB navigation
software is smart enough to pronounce French names in French, unlike the
current Google Maps offering on Android.)
