This is another one of those “I just had to get it out” kind of blogs. And it’s a true story based on actual people and events: Jason Tankersley (The Fairfax Companies), Ruben Vejar, (RISE Equipment & Recycling) and good old Mrs. Green.
At the ribbon cutting last week for the Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce, Jason, Ruben & I started talking about waste. I actually like to. Jason told Ruben he should feel free to come by their sites & pick up computers that people have dumped in the trash. Yes, you read it right. Wish I had a picture of the look on my face. Shock? Disbelief? Consternation? D – all of the above. People actually throw their computers in the GARBAGE???
Do people not have a clue? Are there still people living that unconsciously? I guess. So let me just throw this out there. If you live in Tucson, you can recycle your computer at RISE (one of several places locally) Equipment & Recycling. (http://riseequipmentrecycling.org/). They will strip the data, refurbish it if possible, sell it or sell it someone who qualifies under federal guidelines for $25. If they can’t do that, they recycle every single piece of it & to companies based in the USA.
What do they do with the money? Hire people with either special needs or special circumstances. Talk about sustainable communities. If that’s not enough to inspire you to recycle your computer & ALL electronic devices somewhere, somehow, some way, not sure what it would take.
And I think I may have to talk about this a bit more on green talk radio. Not sure I feel adequately “vented.”