Recycle your old phone, green your current one

Cell phones rapidly become obsolete, making them a growing contributor to our landfill problem. It's important to recycle your old phone, but solar chargers and environmentally-minded cellular providers can help you chat more sustainably.

Solar chargers and headsets

The humble cell phone charger has gone futuristic. You can now wear your environmentalism on your sleeve with a strap-on solar cell charger, or work up a charge at the gym with the kinetic charger. Crank chargers give you a real workout while you repower your devices. Many solar models feature USB plugs so they can be charged either by the sun, or--on cloudy days--by your computer.

EcoGeek Living Universal solar cell phone/IPOD charger with adapters and USB cord
Iqua Headsets Solar cell phone headset
Reware Backpacks Bags with solar cells and other portable chargers for small electronics
Solio Universal charger and hybrid models for small electronics (cell phone, IPOD, camera, etc.)
Voltaic Backpacks Bags with solar cells for charging small electronics

In the mood for an experiment? Follow these Do It Yourself instructions for making a solar charger from scratch.

Socially-conscious cellular providers

Credo Mobile 1% of charges goes to progressive nonprofits you vote on.
Earth Tones 100% of its profits go to environmental organizations.

Recycling

Staples and many other office supply stores accept drop offs. All you have to do is plug in your zip code and Earth911 will show you the local drop off centers. Be sure to erase names and numbers in the memory first.

Other services allow you to mail the phone in. Try the following:

Charitable Recycling  
CollectiveGood  
Recycle My Cell Phone  
RIPMobil  

Why it's important

According to CollectiveGood, “As of 2007, there are more than 750 million mobile phones waiting to be recycled in the US; either in drawers, or already in the waste stream. Another 150+ million or so will be added this year and even more next year. Once in the waste stream, these devices may leak lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and other toxic substances into the water supply.” To get an idea of exactly how many cell phones get tossed every year, view the artwork on New Dream board member Chris Jordan's website and look for photos representing all of these toxic little devices retired in the US every day. The visual impact of millions of phones used for a short period of time is unforgettable.

So don’t trash that old phone. Rather than end up leaching into a landfill, your old phone might be refurbished and sold in developing countries or safely stripped for parts while the hazardous waste is properly disposed of. Some recycling programs raise funds for charity, resell phones as alternatives to new ones, or provide phones to the homeless and victims of domestic violence.

 

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If you would like for your company to be listed in the Conscious Consumer Marketplace, please email Mary Jo Snavely or call 301.891.3683 ext. 110.