Donate Old Cell Phones -- Save the Earth! ... Save A Life?

Seems each week we're talking about the latest and greatest new mobile gadget to save you time, increase your producticitiy and keep you in contact with friends and family. With the constant incentive to upgrade, what about your unused phone?

Cellular carriers are providing an easy option to donate your unused phone to benefit organizations that help victims and survivors of domestic violence. You can participate by taking your phone to any Verizon Wireless store (other carriers offer similar programs, be sure to ask when you buy your new phone for details!).

From a Verizon Wireless Press Release:

In 2008, Verizon Wireless donated wireless phones with prepaid service to several Oregon based non-profit agencies including:

• Eugene— Domestic Violence Clinic - Lane County Legal Aid
  
• Milwaukie— Clackamas Women's Services
  
• Portland— Bradley-Angle House
  
• Portland— IRCO’s Refugee and Immigrant Family Strengthening Program
  
• Portland— Raphael House of Portland
  
• Portland— Volunteers of America
  
• Portland— YWCA of Greater Portland/Yolanda House

For more information, visit Verizon Wireless' HopeLine website here.

Donated phones are not tax deductible.

Upgrading for DTV? Recycle your old TV!

On February 17th 2009, as my regular listeners know, television stations across the country will convert their analog broadcast signals to a new higher-capacity digital spectrum. What this means to television viewers varies depending on how you receive programming, but for many, the conversion could leave you with a live view of what resembles a 24/7 snowstorm.

For many who watch over-the-air television, this means a new television. (Most, like one KXL staffer I spoke with yesterday, see it as a good excuse to upgrade even while a converter box might suffice.)

What do you do with your old set?

Most people don’t need to get rid of their existing television due to the switch to digital-only broadcasting, says Kathy Kiwala, manager of DEQ’s “Oregon E-Cycles” electronics waste program. For persons who choose to purchase a new digital TV and have an existing TV in working condition, there are several options:

• Keep the old TV as a second TV for games, videos or DVDs
• Give the old TV to a friend or donate it to a second-hand store.

According to the Department of Enviornmental Quality's press release, consumers who do choose to buy a new television set should visit the DEQ E-waste Web page at http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/ewaste/resources.htm

For more ways to recycle electronics -- including unwanted computers -- check out my Earth Day Gadget Special that aired on KATU's AM Northwest:

Earth Day: Free Electronics Recycling Event Sat. 19 April (Vancouver, WA)

IMS Electronics Recycling Press Release

Dell Inc. is offering residents of the Washington’s Clark County area and the Portland, Oregon area a free computer recycling event, Sat., April 19, 2008, at IMS Electronics Facility in the Port of Vancouver. The event is being hosted in celebration of Earth Day and will provide area residents an opportunity to recycle electronics for free.

The collection event will accept any make or model of computers and related equipment, including monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, and laptops. Televisions, stereo equipment, cell phones, gaming consoles and mobile entertainment devices are also accepted. Electronic items NOT accepted include: appliances, lamps, batteries etc.

All materials collected at this event will be recycled at IMS Electronics under Washington State’s new Preferred Processor Standards. Participants should remove all data from their computer's hard drive and any removable media such as disks, PC cards, flash drives, CD-ROMs.

Free Drop off At:

IMS Electronics Recycling
2401 Saint Francis Lane
Vancouver, WA 98660
(360) 750-8883

If you know of other Recycling events, please email: techexpert (AT) brianwestbrook (DOT) com -- or post a comment in this blog. Look for future "Go Green" specials on this blog all week...