Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

When discussing ways to save the environment and reduce global warming, the three R’s cme to mind: reduce, recycle, reuse. Of the three, recycling is probably the most commonly practiced. Most of us with any social conscience have been recycling for decades.

The items most people think of for recycling are aluminum cans, plastic bottles, newspapers, phone books, and cardboard. But what most people may not realize is the importance of recycling electronics.

Think about it. We’re constantly searching for the latest and greatest in technology. We upgrade just to keep up. Changes in the technology industry are constant. And as we upgrade, our old electronics are disposed of.

Recycle Cell Phones

The average person upgrades their cell phone every one to two years. That means that there are millions of cell phones that are being disposed of each year. Some people throw them in a drawer and forget about them while others toss them in the garbage.

Other more desirable ways to dispose of cell phones do exist. Check with your service provider or phone manufacturer to see if they recycle phones. Or, you may consider donating your old phone to your favorite charity. Or, you can check out a new online service at Flipswap.com. Flipswap allows you to trade in your old cell phone and get instant store credit, cash in online, donate to charity, or recycle.

Flipswap is user friendly. It proivides you with an instant quote on the value of your old phone. You then print out a prepaid shipping label and ship your cell phone to them free of charge. You then receive payment by check, or if your wish, your payment can be donated to charity.

Recycling TV’s

We may not upgrade out TV’s quite as often as our cell phones, but consideing the bulk of old television sets, that’s a whole lot of e-waste going on. If you’re getting rid of the old TV, chances are it’s because you’ve replaced it with a new state of the art TV. Check with the retailer you bought your new set from about their store’s policy on taking back your old set for recycling.

If your retailer refuses to offer you any e-waste solution, give him a good piece of your mind and then visit RadioShack.com. Similar to the Flipswap program, Radio Shack estimates the value of your old set, provides you with a pre-paid shipping label, and then gives you a Radio Shack gift card for the value of the old set once they have received it.

Why Recycle Electronics

We’ve long recognized the importance of recycling paper and aluminum cans. But recycling electronics is even more crucial. E-waste that comes from our discarded electronics is full of toxic heavy metals and cadmium. These chemicals are toxic for the environment and to our future. Since electronics are all about the future, we can’t allow them to destroy the future of our planet.