Personal technology evolves at a breakneck speed these days: think of how frequently Apple, Samsung, Google and other tech giants debut their latest smartphones and other gadgets. Now think about the devices those new gadgets make obsolete. Are we, as a society, putting that older tech to good use?
At Cell Phones For Soldiers, we recognize both the value of the recyclable materials of cell phones, smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices—as well as the environmental harm of improperly disposing of these gadgets. On Earth Day, and throughout the year, we remind you that donating your unwanted devices to Cell Phones For Soldiers helps our troops and veterans, and keeps these devices from harming our environment.
The world is suffering a “tsunami of e-waste,” warned environmentalist Achim Steiner in 2015. Mr. Steiner, who then headed up the United Nations’ Environment Program, noted that disposed devices can release harmful, toxic chemicals into the environment, while at the same time discarding very valuable components that can be reused again and again.
“We are throwing away an enormous amount of raw materials that are essentially reusable,” said Mr. Steiner. “Whether it is gold, silver or some of the rare earths that you have heard about perhaps in recent years, it is still an incredible amount.”
Unfortunately, only about 12.5 percent of global e-waste is recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. We can do much better.
In 2004, Cell Phones For Soldiers saw a win-win opportunity: We could recycle donated mobile devices for their valuable reusable materials, and use the income from those materials to purchase calling cards for our deployed troops. Since then, we have provided well over 300 million minutes of free talk time to help our brave men and women in the military stay connected with loved ones at home, and have helped more than 3,100 veterans in need.
We have also kept more than 15 MILLION potentially harmful electronic devices from hitting our overtaxed landfills.
We’re so proud of that number, and are constantly working to push back against that tsunami of e-waste. This Earth Day, donate your unwanted cell phones, smartphones, tablets and mobile devices to Cell Phones For Soldiers. It doesn’t matter whether the device is working or not, broken, brand new or decades old. Make a difference in the lives of our troops and veterans, and in the life of our planet.
