It’s time to start digging through those overrun cupboards and drawers searching for old and long unused cell phones and small electronics. Coe Elementary’s community charity committee Coe Cares is putting on another fundraiser, this time benefiting both the school and electronics recycling–or rather, “upcycling”–non-profit UpCycle4Hope.
Upcycling is the process of converting useless electronics into useful items again, creating a second or even third chance at life for these devices. Through upcycling, old electronics get saved from being thrown away, or forgotten about in drawers and closets.
UpCycle4Hope, with a motto of “a second life for electronics,” collects small wireless devices including cell phones, laptops, netbook computers, digital cameras, games and gaming consoles, iPods, DVD players, and even CDs, and either refurbishes them for re-sale or, if beyond being salvaged, disposes of them in an environmentally friendly way.
Electronic waste is the most quickly growing waste concern worldwide. The average life span of a cell phone is only eighteen months. On average 130 million cell phones are retired annually in the U.S. alone. Therefore, cell phone recycling is imperative. Nationwide, it is estimated that less than 10% of retired cell phones are recycled or reused. The remainder litter closets, drawers, and unfortunately landfills.
From 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 10 outside the Upper Queen Anne Starbucks Coe Elementary students will be collecting used cell phones, Blackberries, iPhones, laptops, laptop and cell phone batteries, satellite radios, digital cameras, iPods, iPod docking stations, digital picture frames, and other small electronics (nothing too heavy to ship cost effectively) to send to UpCycle, which will then clean, test, repair, recycle and sell the donated items. Coe will then receive 70 percent of the profits from the sale of the items collected through the drive.
For more information on Coe’s electronics recycling drive, or for more information on getting involved in the Coe Cares committee, please contact committee chair Stacy Lawson at 206.999.6274.