Computer & Cell Phone Recycling At TEDxAsheville 2010

On the classical TV show The Muppets, Kermit the Frog often wearily expressed “it’s not easy being green.” While we can’t really help Kermit, we are making it easy(ier) for you to be green.

Got an old computer or cell phone you need to unload? Bring it to TEDxAsheville on August 29th–we are partnering with Charlotte Street Computers to offer on-site computer and cell phone recycling. Donate your used PC and get entered into a drawing for a new iPod. Charlotte Street Computers will refurbish the machines and donate them to low-income youth in need of a computer. That’s all-around win!

Besides taking up space and wasting copper and other resources that could be recycled, computers and other tech trash pose an additional problem–toxicity. More than 700 chemicals are used to manufacture computers including cadmium, chromium, mercury and other heavy metals. But the biggest problem is the lead in cathode ray tubes found in most monitors.

When the tubes are pulverized, the lead–between 2.5 and 8 pounds of it per monitor–can seep through the landfill and into groundwater.