Because of the space these phones require in landfills and the harm their components can do to the environment, many states are beginning to enact requirements on cell phone recycling. Retailers in these states are required, by law, to take outdated, broken or otherwise unused cell phones from consumers at no charge.

We know what you’re asking…

“How does recycling cell phones help the environment?”

Copper
One ton of cellular phones can provide close to 100Kg of copper and that amount of copper is more than can be pulled from an equal amount of its own ore. By recycling these devices for copper, we reduce the impact of copper mining on the environment.

Green House Gases
No matter what a factory produces, as long as it is producing, it is releasing green house gases into the atmosphere. By recycling used cell phones, using them for parts or even donating them to shelters, we reduce the need to produce more new phones.

Lead
Lead that is leached into our groundwater supply has been shown to cause problems with the liver, kidneys and other vital organs. By recycling our used mobile phones, we are safely reusing or removing the lead components from our environment.

Plastic
Once recycled, the plastic casings of cell phones are used to make park decks, playground equipment and even saxophones. In fact, every single component found inside of a cell phone can be recycled. Just imagine if all of the cell phones that are discarded each year would be recycled instead!

What else can you do with your old cell phones?

There are many organizations will take cell phones and either recycle them to raise money or give them to people in need. Some of these organizations are:

Cell Phones for Soldiers: this organization will accept your used cell phones and convert them into calling cards, prepaid of course, for soldiers overseas. In the three years the program has been running, over 12 million minutes have been given to these men and women.
http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

Shelter Alliance: this organization runs the largest mobile phone donation program in the country. Collection programs are available for students, businesses, organizations and individuals.
http://shelteralliance.net/

Collective Good: this organization makes it worthwhile to donate your cell phone. Different incentives are offered throughout the year and have included $5 gift cards for every phone donated.

Before you toss your outdated cell phone in the garbage, find out if your company takes used cell phones for some type of recycling program. If your office doesn’t, check with your child’s school. If you can’t easily recycle your phone, consider donating it to a charity; there’s always someone who will be more than happy to have it.

Author Stephanie Sanders is a communications consultant and writes for a UK mobile phones site, offering all the latest phones and plans.

A large handful of students were seen grinning about Columbian Square on October Twentieth with Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, model Christy Turlington Burns and Juju Chang, journalist. They were all in attendance to host the George Washington University “GW + Phones=Hope” celebration to kickoff the GW Phones for Hope campaign.

George Washington University - Phones for Hope

The Phones for Hope campaign is supported by the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) created by Former President Bill Clinton and Doug Band, who through this program hopes to bring about changes around the world through actions that are measurable. The purpose of Phones for Hope is to recycle old electronics and phones that aid maternal health programs located in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nepal by recycling them or by converting them into mobile medical communication devices.

As stated by Christy Turlington Burns, supporter for the campaign,

“The best way to address child survival is to invest in a mom”

and by March of 2012, GW strives to make an investment by way of approximately 20,000 used cell phones.

The CGI is comprised of a large group of corporate businesses, non-profits and organizations who even though they come from assorted industries, they have the same common goal in mind. This powerful group would like to bring about change to the world’s problems dealing with poverty, education and climate change. CGI requests that its members start assisting the world by participating in “Commitments to Action”. Of course, sustainability is a key ingredient to their core. Phones for hope bases it’s actions around the principles of viability (along with good will), and does an excellent job of presenting to its subscribers the important of our future.

Check out the following video for more campaign info;

As we know it, finding long-term solutions to any of the issues addressed by the CGI is extremely important. Turlington and Clinton demonstrate their interest in renewal and recyclables by aiding in the early development of children in Africa. The CGI continues to do great work in similar areas, and their predecessor (CHAI or Clinton Health Access Initiative) provides supplemental help as well.

Through prodigious campaigns like these, that bolster positives changes around the world, like GW’s Phones for Hope, we will all see the benefits from individual and groups who are committed to making a difference. The Phones for Hope program not only benefits the United States, by supplying a secure way to recycle phones and other electronics but the greatest of all impacts will be reached in areas across the seas like Africa and Nepal where families can have a chance at survival because they now have access to healthcare for mothers and children.

1. Bird Feeder

Turn big plastic bottles and glass jars into bird feeders. Simply turn your glass jar upside down and fasten a drop tray underneath that will allow your feathered friends to comfortably sit and eat. Using string or wire run from the drop tray on both sides of the jar and held in place with rubber bands or string you will have a loop to tie your feeder to the tree. Plastic bottles are easy. Just melt small holes inward for feeding and make sure to run a bird seat (wooden, plastic or steel pole) horizontally through the bottle near the feeding holes. Tie string around the top and hang.

2. Pen Holder

Take old tea tins or bottles and using clear packing tape, create a collage to your liking for yourself or for gifts. I like drawing my own pictures and taping them around the tins. You can also use photos. Also, try classing up a clear pen jar by filling it with coffee beans, pebbles or marbles.

3. Grain Storage Containers

Using glass jars, remove all labels using Pledge. Let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it off. Fill with rice varieties, cereals or dried soups. It makes a colorful and artsy way to store your dry goods in an airtight container. I like to hang tags from the top describing the contents.

4. Tree Decoration

Take old wine or olive oil bottles or any other fancy, shapely or colorful bottle and using sturdy jute twine or anything similar, hang low from your bottom tree branches. It will give your yard a surreal and magical look.

5. Cat Toys

Using an avocado seed, create a fun and fast moving cat toy. Once you clean the seed thoroughly and allow to dry for a day, attach a string or other fun item and your cat will be entertained for hours.

6. Painting the News

Use old newspaper as background for your paintings. This works especially great if you are reusing canvas, paper or wood. Using a light shear color over the top so the newspaper is still seen underneath the painting itself, Original and eye-catching.

7. Change Collector

Use old bottles and jars to keep your spare change. Label them with fun sayings by cutting out magazine words, letters or drawing your own and taping them around the jar using clear packing tape. Some ideas would be: college fund, runaway money, concert money, vacation, etc.

8. Bottle Cap Lampshade

Using bottle caps spice up your old lampshade. Simple glue the bottle caps around the existing lampshade in patterns or however you see fit. Use strong permanent glue.

9. Picture Frames

Using bottle caps, old magazines, material or newspapers, glue around a basic picture frame. This makes great personalized gifts.

10. Head Bands

Take old material, ribbon pieces, bows from gifts and anything else your heart desires and use it to refurbish your plain head band. Using a little super glue or strong water proof glue, wrap the material around the head band and glue at the ends and middle. If you have left over flowers from wrappings or anything else, throw those on there too for a dash of your own flare.

11. Reusable Bags

Give your tee shirts, shower curtains and table cloths a second life by sewing them into a simple reusable bag. Try using an old belt as the strap. With tee shirts, it its best to cut out the design and sew on to sturdy material or double the material up by sewing two tee shirts together to create one bag. Original and a thousand times better than using plastic bags!

12. Tire Garden

If recycling your old tire isn’t available, try using it as a flower pot. Plant flowers or herbs in the old tire and give it a second life.

Patrick Hopkins holds a B.A in Journalism and currently writes for Phoenix Kiosk, a kiosk manufacturer. He covers everything from outdoor kiosks to technology and education.  Phoenix Kiosk: Innovative Technologies from Vision to Reality.

Tips for Going Green in the Bathroom

Image by Dominik Schwind

Standard toilet paper is made with more than 90% virgin paper fibers. Millions of trees are cut down yearly to keep up with the demand for super-soft toilet paper. 25-50 percent of the pulp used to make toilet paper in the U.S. comes from tree farms in South America and the U.S. ultimately contributing to global warming. Since the paper industry is the third largest emitter of toxic pollutants, the production of toilet paper impacts the environment in more ways than one.
Recycled paper, although not quite as soft and a little more expensive, is just as effective in doing the job and reduced the amount of trees cut down and toxins released in the production of paper products. It is made from recycled paper, so no new trees are cut down in the process. According to Seventh Generation, if every household in the U.S. would switch out just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper for a recycled roll, 933,000 trees would be saved and 60,000 tons of emissions would be avoided.

The awareness of recycling and the knowledge of how it is integral to maintaining a healthy environment is increasing, but there are still some products that get overlooked. Recycling is important for two main reasons; preserving natural resources for future generations and controlling the space for landfill waste. In order to keep our planet green we need to start preventing the dumping of products which contain toxic or damaging materials in our landfills. The vast majority of mobile phones contain a catalog of toxic substances including; lead, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, mercury, copper, nickel and zinc.

Image by Dru Bloomfield – At Home in Scottsdale

Research has shown that when substances from old mobile / cell phones enter landfills they can leak into the surrounding soil and dangerous toxins from incinerated mobile phones can pollute the environment.

Not only are mobile phones made with toxic substances, the core of the product is made with materials which most importantly can be recycled. Recycling these plastics and metals can help reduce the cost of manufacturing and help to reduce our need for future resources. It is important for renewable resources to have a product life-cycle for as long as possible, unused products such as mobile phones which are left in landfills will eventually decompose and release methane gas which is one of the major factors in global warming and is more damaging than CO2.

If you feel inspired to recycle your mobile phone you can inquire about the specifics of mobile phone and battery recycling from your local council or government body. This article was written in association with MyPhoneDeals who are big advocates of recycling old mobile phones. If you are in the process of recycling your mobile phone and looking for a new contract MyPhoneDeals have highlighted the best android phone for 2011

Listed below are just a few ways you can start saving money through recycling.

1/ Get money back:

First of all, if you live in certain states in the U.S. you can get your money back just by taking back bottles.  We pay this fee ahead of time, and in order for us to get our money back, we must recycle.  So, don’t take the easy way out and just throw away your bottles.  Instead, take them with you the next time you go grocery shopping.

This is known as container deposit legislation and you can read an excellent summary of how different countries handle it here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation

In the United States we call the laws “Bottle Bills” and only certain states offer them.

The Bottle Bill States

2/ Make your own new clothes:

We all have clothes that no longer fit us that just sit in our closet.  If you really don’t want to get rid of them, then remake clothes out of them.  If there is a certain fabric you like, or a pattern that interests you, remake an item of clothing.  This can be a hobby as well as a good way of recycling.
We found an excellent video tutorial by the folks at Refashinoso;
You can view the video below or by clicking this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFLW8ZZzbEo

3/ Wrapping gifts:

You should never have to buy wrapping paper at the store to wrap gifts.  Instead, you can use newspapers, or you can save the wrapping paper that people give you to wrap your gifts.  This is especially true for bows.  Around Christmas time, keep any nice ribbons, bows, or wrapping paper that doesn’t have any damage.  This will save you a lot of money over the years.

Green Gift Wrapping

4/ Reupholster:

You can reupholster pretty much anything.  Whether you want to reupholster your old furniture with fabric you aren’t using, or you want to recover a book, you can do that by simply recycling old fabrics.
Our favorite resource for DIY re-upholstering is on the DIY Network site;
http://www.diynetwork.com/topics/upholstering/index.html

5/ Containers / boxes:

You can always use old containers or boxes as a way of organizing certain things in your home.  Whether you dress up an old box to keep your photos in, or you keep an old plastic container to store your makeup in, there is always a way you can put it to use.
We loved the ideas from VegetableGardener.com about using old containers to start new life by planting your vegetable seedlings in them.

Plant Vegetable Seedlings in Old Containers

As you can see, there are several ways to recycle items around your home.  Recycling is something you can feel good about, and also a great way to save money.  Start being creative today, and find a way to save.

This is a guest post written by Mindy Clairbel.  Mindy runs MyCCFinder, a website that offers several Printable Coupons promo codes, and hot deals on just about everything.

The best place to start is with paper products.  Printer paper (white, not colored), cardboard, newspaper, phone books, magazines, and packaging materials (that are free of adhesives) can all go into the recycling bin (provided they are clean, dry, and free of food, plastic, wax, or other contaminants).  You are likely to have many such items in your office and so long as you post signage on bins so that employees don’t put the wrong items in, you shouldn’t even have to spring for a seminar (a company-wide email should do the trick).

Provide Recycling Bins Marked for Paper, Plastic, Metal etc.

You can also recycle the basics (items that can go to nearly any recycling plant).  Provide bins around the office (especially in the cafeteria or break areas) for aluminum cans, glass bottles, and plastics.  Did you know that a number of plastic items are acceptable for recycling (not just bottles)?  It’s true!  And you might be surprised just how many common objects can go to the plastic plant.  Just about any type of plastic food container can be recycled (look on the container and if you see a number 1 or 2 in a triangle it is definitely eligible for recycling), as can most plastic bags and even pens (with the cartridge removed).  The best part about recycling these types of items is that it can bring a return to your company.  If employees are willing to volunteer their time and vehicles to cart items to the recycling center, you could use the proceeds to start a fund to treat employees to a monthly lunch out (split amongst departments) or team-building exercises (such as a night at the bowling alley).  Recycling can be used to raise money and morale!

Another great item that all offices can recycle is ink cartridges.  They are found in every printer and Xerox machine on the premises and are easy to recycle.  Most companies provide return packaging when you purchase the product so that all you have to do is ship it back.  And you’ll probably find that some will even give you credit on returned cartridges that you can use towards future purchases.  If not, you may be able to drop them off locally at an office supply store that sells them.  And of course, you’ll want to recycle used electronic equipment (such as computers) through your trash company (although you may have to pay for this service unless you wait until citywide free-pick-up days come around).

You Can Make a Big Impact by Recycling Ink Cartridges

In short, recycling can profit your business in several ways.  Don’t overlook the many benefits of creating a greener office because you think it will affect your bottom line.  In truth, you stand to improve your public image by doing something good for the community you operate in, as well as helping to create a cleaner Earth for all of us.  And you could just see a monetary return if you go about it the right way.  With all of these benefits awaiting you should you choose to recycle, what the heck are you waiting for?

Sarah Danielson writes for Ink Factory, where you can find an incredible selection of HP ink cartridges and toner cartridges along with a variety of other top brands and items.

Green Options for Recycling Your Refrigerator

Refrigerator image by PinkMoose

Of course, the easiest method for going green with your fridge disposal is to simply purchase a new appliance from a company that recycles.  You can call ahead to ascertain which retailers support this eco-friendly practice.  Then you just have the delivery men pick up the old model when they install the new one.  This way you know your fridge won’t end up in the landfill and you avoid the hassle of hauling it away yourself.  On the other hand, you may be able to make a bit of cash off your old fridge if it is still in working order.

You can start by searching for a local company that recycles used appliances; sometimes they are willing to give you compensation up front.  The utility company may also have a recycling program, although they are more likely to offer you some kind of rebate on your bill.  And of course, you could simply try to sell it by posting an ad of Craig’s List.  The only potential problem with these options is that you may have to haul the fridge to its new owner if you want to get rid of it.  But if you’re selling it to a private party, you could do so with the addendum “you haul”.

There are more options still.  What if your fridge is no longer running?  If you can’t sell or donate it, you can still recycle some of its parts.  Magnets in the door, for example, can be reused, and much of the steel and plastic can be recycled, as well.  The steel, in particular, may net you a financial return on your property if you take it to the right place.  Of course, you will probably end up with a few leftover parts at the end of this strip-down process.  But overall, you will see a significant reduction in the amount of waste going to the landfill from your used refrigerator.

There Are Many Options to Avoid Abandoned Fridge Syndrome!

Abandoned Fridge image by Alan Stanton

Recycling your old appliances may not be quite as simple as tossing a can in the green bin instead of the blue one, but you have many options to keep it out of the trash.  You may have to expend some time and effort to get it off your hands with less waste, but you could see a monetary return and you are sure to feel good about making an investment in the future of our planet.

Sarah Danielson writes for Barbados Holidays where you can find a variety of inexpensive, family friendly, and fun travel packages.

If you look a little deeper into the process behind DeAnna Cochran’s jewelry pieces you will uncover a fascinating story including recycled cell phones, recycled computers, Japanese scientists and a zero waste business model!

DeAnna is passionate about running her charity focused “Jewelry for a Cause” business and she tries to keep the business operating with a zero waste policy.

Simply, I love creating and more so I love that what I create holds a higher purpose of giving back and making a difference.

- DeAnna Cochran, Metalsmith and Artist

During my interview with DeAnna I could clearly hear the passion that she has for the “craft” involved in creating her jewelry, the part that fascinated me was that her jewelry is made with a Precious Metal Clay which uses re-claimed metals from scrap electronics! The Precious Metal Clay contains small particles of gold, silver or bronze and when it it freshly out of the packaging it is very soft and workable. DeAnna explained that PMC looks and works very much like a regular clay compound, it uses a water based binder and is completely non-toxic. DeAnna’s wonderful jewelry creations are full of fine details and she said that the PMC allows her to create these fine details with a high level of confidence in the final result.

Once DeAnna has finished her design the PMC can be fired or cured in a kiln. The PMC generally shrinks in size by approximately 10% due to the organic binders being burnt off. What is left behind is a wonderfully pure gold, silver or bronze piece of jewelry! DeAnna explained that she has enjoyed working recently with bronze, it is relatively new to the PMC line of products.

Needless to say, my curiosity was lit and I went off to do some research into Precious Metal Clay. Let’s start with some of the science… Did you know that all cell phones and computers, in fact pretty much anything with a circuit board, contains small amounts of silver, gold and other precious metals?

To quote Richard Alcorn from Finishing.com;

One ton (2000 lbs) of “average” circuit board from modern computers and electronics generally yields (in a very good system) between 8 and 11 troy ounces of 24k gold.

Given that the average desktop computer will generally have just a couple of  pounds of circuit board you would need alot of recycled computers to get even a small amount of gold, check out our visual representation below;

There is a scientific technique for removing these precious metals from discarded electronics and the first reaction that most amateur scientists, or computer boffins, have is to wonder if they too can get some gold or silver from their used electronics such as an old computer. Well the process is NOT easy! The extraction of precious metals from old circuit boards and electronic components involves many dangerous chemicals and should NOT be attempted by any of our readers. The amounts of precious metals in an individual computer or cell phone are also very, very small…

This gold is found in a number of places, including the plated gold wires and leads, on plated pins inside connectors and on the computer circuit boards as well as on and within the IC (integrated circuits) on the boards themselves. In addition, there will generally be around 10 to 20 times this amount in silver from the solder and other components. There are also minute amounts of palladium, platinum and other precious metals.  Interestingly, any of the older electronics and early computer equipment have much higher amounts of precious metals, while the newest (1997 and newer) are lower.

OK, now that the science is behind us, lets move on to the Precious Metal Clay!

In the 1990s scientists in Japan developed a combination of binders and metal particles to create a material with the working properties of modeling clay, known as Precious Metal Clay, or PMC.
An organic binder provides elasticity while holding very tiny grains of the precious metal in suspension. The artist can sculpt the PMC into jewelry and then “fire” the piece with heat. During heating, the binding material burns away, which causes the object to shrink slightly (10 – 20%).
The process is easiest with pure silver and pure gold because these precious metals fuse at relatively low temperatures (400 – 1000F).

Let’s take a quick graphical look at the journey taken by Precious Metal Clay over the last twenty years;

Darnall Burks, an engineer, Ronald Hayes Pearsona, a well-known jeweler and Tim McCreight, another American jeweler and teacher advised Mitsubishi on the viability of PMC in the United States. Together these three men organized a workshop for American artists which took place at the Haystack Mountain School in Deer Isle, Maine in May, 1995.

Since that first workshop the use of PMC in the United States has grown exponentially and artists like DeAnna Cochran have learned the best methods for creating beautiful pieces from this versatile material.

Here is a collection of our favorite DeAnna Cochran jewelry pieces;

DeAnna tries to run a paperless business and clients are often surprised when they meet with DeAnna as the laptop pops open to show them her collection as opposed to printed brochures etc, in fact DeAnna will not send out catalogs and even her business cards are printed on recycled paper. DeAnna also loves to recycle and always re-uses any unused materials for her next creation.

DeAnna Cochran’s use of Precious Metal Clay and the background of reclaimed precious metals has created a green foundation for her business and her target of having zero waste is truly admirable.

In the process of researching these recycled metals I discovered that the Texas Department of Public Safety actually tracks all metals that are officially recycled and we wanted to share some of the amazing figures for the amount of metal that is recycled in Texas alone;

I was amazed to see that in Texas alone we recycled over 121 millions lbs of Aluminum in a year! As for precious metals such as Bronze, the totals are far less but we still recycled over 150 thousand lbs of bronze in one year. It’s reassuring to know that eventually this reclaimed metal could end up in one of DeAnna Cochran’s stunning eco designs such as this one of a kind leaf cuff bracelet made from reclaimed fine silver with garnet and diamond stones;

We love that artists like DeAnna are using eco friendly materials like PMC to make such wonderful jewelry creations whilst maintaining green business practices. We would like to thank DeAnna for taking the time to talk to us about such a fascinating process. If you want to learn more about DeAnna Cochran jewelry please visit her site;

www.DeAnnaCochranJewelry.com

Recycling Mobile Phones Keeps Them Out of the Landfill

So now we know why we should recycle and what benefit this will have but what about the phone itself? Before you recycle or sell your old mobile, you should make sure that all data and pictures etc has been deleted and removed from our old phone. Now if you are unsure on how to do this then just Google your make and model of phone along with ‘phone data removal’ and there are numerous guides and tools that will help you to easily remove the items from your form so it is back to ‘factory settings’.

Remember to Delete Personal Information

After this when your handset reaches a mobile phone recycling centre, the first step that the recyclers (such as Envirofone and Mazuma Mobile) do is to disassemble the basic components of the phone.  This usually comprises of the following parts, plastic, metals, casing (or housing) and memory. After this first stage the next step is to sort handsets, circuitboards, chargers, accessories and batteries into sorting bins for each of the components. As this is a recycling centre, even the boxes or packaging you send the phone in on will also be recycled!

The Nickel in the phone batteries are then processed and can be recycled into stainless steel with applications for home and industrial use. Recyclers can even extract the Cadmium and then make new batteries from the old ones. The Batteries also contain copper, which can also be recycled.

Mobile Phones Ready for Recycling

The circuit boards contain many precious metals such as silver and gold and lead and can be used in many different ways whilst preventing future mining operations from acquiring these metals from the earth and destroying habitat and wildlife.
The phone casings will also be recycled and used in a variety of ways such as plastic fencing around the home.
Now you know what happens to the mobile phones then why not consider recycling your old phone and help the environment as well as earning a bit of extra cash? For more information please visit recyclemobilephones.co.uk

RecycleMobilePhones.Co.Uk