Posts Tagged ‘clean energy’
Monday, December 7, 2009
Dirty Jobs TV series: E-waste Recycling
By Jared Cook:
Here is a clip I wanted to share from the television series Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe. In this particular episode, host Mike Rowe learns about e-waste recycling.
click here to watch
Friday, November 27, 2009
Following The Trail Of Toxic E-Waste
I wanted to share this story that 60 minutes did in August about where electronic waste is ending up after being dumped here in the U.S.
(CBS) This story was first published on Nov. 9, 2008. It was updated on Aug. 27, 2009.
60 Minutes is going to take you to one of the most toxic places on Earth — a place that government officials and gangsters don’t want you to see. It’s a town in China where you can’t breathe the air or drink the water, a town where the blood of the children is laced with lead. It’s worth risking a visit because, as correspondent Scott Pelley first reported last November, much of the poison is coming out of the homes, schools and offices of America.
This is a story about recycling – about how your best intentions to be green can be channeled into an underground sewer that flows from the United States and into the wasteland.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Going Green can be profitable for your business
This is from an article by Anna Clark, President of Earthpeople, on greeneconomypost.com about how companies can gain ROI by going green.
Going green is no longer just a benefit to the environment, but it also has become economically beneficial. By jumping on this trend your company can benefit in numerous ways. Being green or “sustainability” is still a fairly new concept in the business world and is something that can get your company the positive exposure that it maybe looking for. Many consumers look to help the environment by buying environmentally friendly products. There are also many highly qualified candidates looking to work with an environmentally conscious business. This also allows you to separate your company from your competitors.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Minn. Senator wants more research on reducing and diverting the e-waste carbon footprint
National e-waste laws could take a big leap forward soon if Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) gets her way. Sponsoring a bill with bipartisan support, Chris Newmarker of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that the legislation would improve the recycling of electronic devices by funding.research on better product designs, recycling technology and hazardous materials disposal practices. Read the whole story from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal here.
Best Buy is a strong supporter of Klobuchar, which has made great efforts to help people recycle their e-waste correctly through their stores nationwide.
From the story: “Technology continues to advance, but our ways of disposing of electronic equipment haven’t kept up,” Klobuchar aid. “Many states, including Minnesota, are leading the way, but we need a national solution to ensure that all unwanted electronics are discarded in a safe and responsible manner.”
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Best ways to reuse your e-waste: re-equip your office and IT electronics to reduce your carbon footprint
E-waste is the e-worst!
By guest Michael Timberlake
An average computer contains as much as four pounds of lead and a circuit board has over 16 hazardous heavy metals…these are not the materials you want in a landfill! Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to properly dispose of your old or damaged copiers, computers, modems, ethernet cables and other business/IT equipment. Finding the proper place to recycle or an outlet to donate old monitors, laptops and cell phones can be time consuming and frustrating in the average, hectic business life. All too often it becomes too easy to either keep old electronics in the attic or throw our e-waste out with the rest of the garbage.
However, that inconvenience can turn into a fun and creative avenue in the workplace and at home. Recreate and breathe new life into those dusty old TVs, printers and lamps with these clever ideas and guides. Whether you are more into the geek/technical side or the designer/artist side there are countless ways to make your e-waste into e-treasure.
Its easy to get started! Just simply type what electronic you are trying to e-create into any search engine and you’ll net hundreds of ideas and guides, from simple to complex, to help alleviate all the wires, cables and hardware crowding and tangling up your office or home. Suddenly you may find you own brilliant e-inspiration to reuse those dusty old electronics you thought were digitally extinct (Oh, and dont forget to check out some of the reader comments where many of the best ideas are hidden).
Here are some of the best that I found in my search!
- Laptop Magazine has a section in its website devoted to reusing laptops with video and step by step instructions. Here’s one on how to make an outdated slow laptop into a modern entertainment center, perfect for online video business meetings.
- Ever wonder what to do with all those old cell phones you accumulated over the years? Well, this video tutorial shows you how to turn any cell phone with a camera into a webcam that could be used for anything from security surveillance and live web broadcasts to video Skyping and online business meetings. The more sophisticated the camera the more options are available for recording, but if you’re looking for a simple way to increase security at home or at the office look no further.
Don’t think you have the technical wiz to reuse your old electronic clutter? Use your inner artist to find ways around your home and garden for your e-waste to become e-art!
- A University of Illinois class actually specialized in making creations out of donated old electronics. Some of the most popular ended up being furniture creations and outdoor garden accessories. From CD vases and laptop mirrors to Mac garden pots and keyboard tresses, the possibilities are endless for all your old electronics.
- One of the most popular creative uses for old TVs, computers and monitors is turning them into fish tanks. But remember the tubes, wires and pieces removed still must be recycled properly. Here are a few good step by step guides to make that outdated electronic into a hip new iTank.
Classic TV makes a vintage style fishtank
Some companies, such as MotherBoard Gifts and Fractal Spin specialize in designing and creating practical uses for circuit boards and other used computer equipment. Whether you are a DIYer or would rather simply appreciate some cool artistic hardware, these can give you some interesting inpriations for your own creations. Examples include coasters, picture frames, luggage tags and even earrings and cufflinks. But don’t let it stop you there, these are just a few examples of the endless artistic possibilities available in electronics.
These clever innovators are finding new fascinating ways to reuse their old electronics, whether it be for technical uses or simple decoration. Get out there and find your imaginative awakening and cut down on the building up of e-waste in our environment.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
InkCycle diverts 394 tons of waste
Did you know that in 2008, InkCycle recycled, re purposed or converted nearly 394 tons of materials from ending up in landfills or other waste avenues!? The 394 tons of waste diverted can be broken down into the following categories:
Total e-waste (cartridges, etc): 265 tons
Plastics (converted to energy): 5.2 tons
Used Toner Dust (recycled): 5.4 tons
Office Paper (collected/shredded/recycled): 5.025 tons
Corrugate and other paper products: 113 tons
Friday, June 19, 2009
InkCycle diverts 394 tons of waste
Did you know that in 2008, InkCycle recycled, re-purposed or converted almost 394 tons of materials from ending up in landfills or other waste avenues!? The 394 tons of waste diverted can be broken down into the following categories:
Total e-waste (toner and ink cartridges, etc): 265 tons
Plastics (converted to energy): 5.2 tons
Used Toner Dust (recycled): 5.4 tons
Office Paper (collected/shredded/recycled): 5.025 tons
Corrugate and other paper products: 113 tons
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Recycling Ink is Good for the Environment and Charity
Here is an article from FundraisingIP.com giving tips on how ink cartridge recycling fundraisers are popular with non-profit organizations because they are easy and keep millions of useful cartridges out of landfills. There are several things organizations can do to make an ink cartridge recycling program even more successful.