May 2006
Multifamily RethinkWaste Nexus
Transforming the Way We Think about Trash
Finish your spring cleaning by taking advantage of the opportunities listed below.
Reduce :: Save Money and Energy with Energy Star Products
With the high cost of energy, consider making your next home electronics purchase an Energy Star-rated product. These products consume less energy, and typically are oftentimes designed to last longer and run cooler because they have power management components, for example a sleep mode.
Examples of these products are compact fluorescent light bulbs, computers, monitors, and multifunction devices for your home office. An ENERGY STAR qualified multifunction device (MFD) can save you about $220 dollars in electricity bills over its lifetime.
And, when it is time to retire your old electronics, take reusable items to a reuse store, such as Goodwill, to give them a second life, or to a recycling center, such as the Shoreway Recycling Center in San Carlos, to be properly recycled and disposed.
Reuse :: Give Used Computer Equipment a Second Look
Ever considered what happens to old computer equipment once it leaves your home? Well, if you took it to a reuse center, it may have been refurbished and sold or given to a person who needed a computer.
But, have you considered purchasing used electronics? Give it a try. Not only will you save money on your purchase, but you won't have to dispose of the bulky packaging that it comes in.
Numerous companies sell used electronics, such as printers and computer components, for a fraction of the cost of new items. Not only do many locations refurbish whole systems, but they can even help you rebuild your system. So, the next time you consider purchasing a new monitor, consider buying used. It can help your wallet and the environment.
Recycle :: Computer Collection Event
Computer monitors and other electronics components are now Universal Waste (UWaste) and banned from the trash. So what can you do? Give them another chance if they are reusable, or simply recycle them.
- Reuse Option: Goodwill offered a Computer Collection Event for Reuse and Recycling on May 20. If you missed it, consider dropping off your old computers and other acceptable electronics at a Goodwill Donation Center to help support job retraining programs.
- Recycle Option: If your electronics are completely unusable, then recycle them. Consider dropping them off at the Shoreway Recycling Center in San Carlos. It's quick, easy, and free.
Also, if you have dead rechargeable batteries, be sure to drop them off at a rechargeable battery recycling collection location for recycling. Find locations through Call2Recycle.
Do your part to help the planet: reduce, reuse, and recycle!
More Info
- Call2Recycle, a program of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, offers recycling options for rechargeable batteries, Call2Recycle.org.
- Energy Star is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. www.energystar.gov.
- Goodwill has 8 Donation Centers in San Mateo County to drop off computers and other reusable goods, 1-888-4-GOODWILL, www.sfgoodwill.org.
- Reusable computer components are offered through a variety of locations. Check the RecycleWorks Reuse Library for a list of locations that accept and offer used electronics for sale at www.RecycleWorks.org. Also, check the business pages in the phone book (virtual or physical) for computer reuse companies.
- Shoreway Recycling Center, 333 Shoreway Rd, San Carlos, Gate 1 for recycling electronics and other universal wastes, such as compact fluorescent tubes and batteries, (650) 592-0255, www.alliedwastesanmateocounty.com.
To be added or removed from this list, contact the RethinkWaste Recycling Coordinator at (650) 802-3500.
