Importance of Recycling your Old Electronics

THE IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING:

*E-Waste

Electronics have revolutionized our lifestyle. Telephones, radios, TVs, computers and cell phones are items we use daily. These items make up the bulk of electronics that threaten the environment, because of their hazardous ingredients. Computing systems are comprised of more than 1,000 materials, many of which are highly toxic to our air, land and water systems.

These components include chlorinated and brominated substances, toxic gases, toxic metals, photo-active and biologically active materials, acids, plastics and plastic additives. This section of waste is referred to as ELECTRONIC WASTE, or
E-Waste.

* TOXIC COMPONENTS INSIDE COMPUTERS CONSIST OF:

* Lead and cadmium in computer circuit boards
* Lead oxide and barium in computer monitors' cathode ray tubes
* Mercury in switches and flat screens and
* Brominated flame retardants on printed circuit boards, cables and plastic casing.

* WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THE OLD STUFF?

First it would be best to make sure the data is removed completely and properly. Then you can either give it to a friend or family member that could benefit from a change. Old to you, is new to someone else. There are also organizations that collect old electronics and donate them to charity or resell them for profit. According to Dataquest, a market research firm, less than five percent of all personal computers are donated to schools, charities or nonprofit organizations. However, donation can be an easy, tax-friendly way to dispose of your obsolete electronics. Contact Us for more information on recycling your old electronics.

Finally ... WHEN YOU DO BUY - BUY GREEN!

With the ever changing and growing field of technology, companies make better devices that are more aware of their environmental impact. Research a product before you purchase it and support businesses that are doing their part. Green purchasing involves deciding what electronic devices to buy based on their impact on the environment. This could include the materials used to make these products or how much energy they use.

* DID YOU KNOW?RECYCLE YOUR PLASTIC!
Fourteen 20oz bottles yield enough fiberfill for a ski jacket

RECYCLE YOUR GLASS!
Before you toss a glass bottle into the trash, consider this. The energy savings from recycling one bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes.

RECYCLE YOUR METAL!
Recycling one aluminum can saves the energy it takes to run a TV for 3 hours. By recycling 32,000 tons of aluminum you save enough energy to run 1 million TVs for 17 hours a day for an entire year!

THIS IS NOT AS HARD AS IT SOUNDS - So tune in and start recycling!