recycling their e-waste at the Guest Home. The recycled electronics will help raise funds for
outdoor resident activities - photo: Northside Community Guest Home Foundation)
The Northside Community Guest Home Foundation is a member of Greentec International’s Think Recycle program, which collects unwanted electronics – those unwanted cell phones, laptops and ink/toner cartridges cluttering up our offices, drawers, basements and garages – and recycles them responsibly in exchange for fundraising dollars. Think Recycle then processes and recycles the e-waste, diverting it from local and international landfill sites.
“Through the Think Recycle program, we can divert harmful and hazardous waste from entering landfills and raise funds at the same time,” says Lisa MacNeil, Fundraising Coordinator. “By dropping off your old cell phones, laptops, ipods, digital cameras, and ink and toner cartridges, you can help enhance resident life here at the Guest Home. We’d like the funds raised through this initiative to go toward outdoor resident activities, like our horticulture therapy program for example.”
The Think Recycle Program is a division of Greentec, a Cambridge, Ontario-based world leader in reverse logistics. The ISO 14001 certificated Greentec specializes in the collection and recycling of e-waste items such as cell phones, laptops, ipods, digital cameras and ink/toner cartridges.
Think Recycle could not exist at better time. E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream worldwide and each year, for example, more than 300 million empty printer cartridges are generated in North America alone. Think Recycle is responsible for diverting millions of cell phones and print cartridges from landfills, in turn providing nearly $5 million in fundraising to its members in exchange for the e-waste they collect. Ten thousand plus North American schools and organizations participate in the Think Recycle program, notes Greentec President and CEO, Tony Perrotta.
In addition to giving monetary rewards to its members for their efforts, Think Recycle donates funds to have one tree planted through Tree Canada, for every 24 qualifying products collected by the Northside Community Guest Home. To date, Think Recycle is responsible for the planting of more than 55,000 trees effectively removing 8,700 tons of carbon from the atmosphere.
This unique and innovative way of fundraising allows the community to give back, in more ways than one, without dipping into their financial bottom line, making the donation process accessible to everyone.
“With Think Recycle, not only are you helping the Northside Community Guest Home Foundation generate funding for resident activities, but you get to directly protect the environment and further our community’s green initiatives,” affirms MacNeil.
The public is invited to drop off their unwanted cell phones, cameras, ipods, laptops and ink/toner cartridges by contacting Lisa MacNeil at 794-8781. Volunteer pick-up service also available.
