hgtv.comMost of us can admit to hoarding our old cell phones and obsolete electronics in our junk drawers. (Guilty! I still have my first brick-sized Nokia.) Millions of phones per year are replaced with the latest iPhones and Droids, but according to the EPA, only 10 percent of outdated phones are being recycled.
Voilà, California’s ecoATM! — keeping old electronics out of landfills, while putting money in our pockets.
A few years back, Automated eCycling Stations developed this automated recycling station for used electronics and cell phones. It identifies and inspects the device, and offers store credit if it holds any resale value. If your old device proves to be trash, the machine will recycle it for you. Convenience at its best.
One minor problem: The closest ecoATM is located in Kansas City, but word from the West Coast headquarters is that, by the end of this year some will be popping up around our area.
In the meantime, try Greenphone.com, a comparable service managed over the web, or search your zip code to find donation box locations nearest you.
According to the EPA, by recycling a million cell phones, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 33 cars off the road for a year. So, it is time to say goodbye to your old cellular devices, and say hello to a cleaner, greener, more profitable future.
