Recycling: It's all those little things...
Laurie Benenson
I've slowly come to the realization that I've accumulated enough old cables, wires, plugs, and various digital gadgets to start a Radio Shack.
The only problem is, they're all obsolete. Take this charger, for example -- from a two-generations-ago cell phone. And what about this dear old Palm Pilot? We sure had some good times together. But now it's time to throw you away, old pal. You've been usurped by my Blackberry. Which will no doubt go on to be replaced by whatever is the next big thing in all-things-to-all-people technology. So the question is: how do I get rid of all this stuff?
Ideally, there should be a special trash container dedicated to recycling electronic waste, which would be emptied along with the other three categories of cans that we have: "regular" garbage, organic waste like grass and leaves, and recyclables like paper, plastic, glass and tin. Those three categories were devised long before the incredible glut of electronic gadgetry that we now have to contend with. So what about adding a fourth category?
It's time to recognize the realities: electronic disposal is a regular part of daily life. Until our municipalities get around to offering a house-to-house service, though, there is an excellent website you can consult to find out the nearest e-waste recycling center...
It's run by the Consumer Electronics Association, and the address is MyGreenElectronics.org. It provides a comprehensive listing of where to get rid of everything from triple A batteries to big-screen TVs. Some of the companies will pick up your e-waste on a regular basis, for a fee. It's worth it to know you're not putting toxic electronic waste like lead and mercury into the water table.
Speaking of recycling, I used to throw away a minimum of five catalogs each and every day. I rarely buy anything from them, so it's not only an egregious waste of trees; it's a waste of the company's money as well. Finally one day I realized I can get off these companies' lists simply by emailing them and telling them I no longer wish to receive their mailings. For instance, Victoria's Secret, which sends me at least 12 catalogs a year, will stop their barrage if you email them at service@VictoriasSecret.com.
Some companies display an admirable awareness of environmental concerns; Williams-Sonoma, for instance, has a very responsible paper procurement policy (you can read about it at Williams-Sonoma.com/Recycle.) They pledge not to use paper from old growth or endangered forests, among other worthy promises. That policy certainly makes me feel well-disposed toward Williams-Sonoma! Nonetheless, they also have a perfectly good website which features all their products, recipes, etc., so why bother to send paper catalogs at all? (Did you know that the production of paper, whether from old-growth or sustainable sources, is one of the most resource-intensive, polluting industries there is?)
So let's move into the 21st century, and do our catalog shopping on-line!
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Green Eelctronics www.greenelectronics.com also provides recycling, donation and repurposing resources along with access to the latest green consumer electronics and computer hardware and innovations on the market.
Great to know that obsolete cables have a proper place to go.
Glad someone wrote about this.. I was going to give them all away to my local thrift store but now I have a place where I can take them.. thanks so much!