by Sally Cummings
GreenDisk http://www.greendisk.com is the manufacturer of GreenDisk High Quality Recycled Diskettes and is the world’s leading software recycler. GreenDisk’s Corporate Disposal Program addresses the issues of secure disposal of information assets, wasted storage costs, and the legal liability related to software licenses in a cost-effective, environmentally responsible manner. Personal computer users throw away approximately 4 million diskettes every day — nearly 1 billion disks per year. Those disks go straight into landfills, in which they can take 450 years to degrade. GreenDisk collects outdated and unsold diskettes and recycles the packaging. The company then magnetically erases, reformats, and relabels them with a GreenDisk label printed on recycled paper for sale. If you have diskettes that are on their way to your company’s dumpster, put them in an envelope and mail them to GreenDisk (Attn: CDIP), 5640 South Durango, Tacoma, WA 98409.
PEP’s National Directory of Computer Recycling Programs http://microweb.com/pepsite/Recycle/recycle_index.html provides a detailed list of state, national, and international agencies that accept donations of used computer hardware for use by schools and community groups. Don’t just throw away your outdated, obsolete, and replaced hardware, give it to an organization that can use it — and might not be able to afford a newer computer.
Diskettes
If you’re feeling creative, you can make craft items and presents for colleagues, family, and friends out of your accumulated AOL and other online service and demo diskettes. Visit http://www.neosoft.com/nikki/ and learn how to make a nativity scene, a high-tech candle snufffer, an analog clock, and a gold diskette box out of unwanted and unused disks. Martha Stewart for the information age!
Floppies for Kiddies http://www.usacitylink.com/citylink/disks has received and donated more than 189,000 diskettes to needy schools and nonprofit organizations since 1996. The recycled disk project accepts only 3.5-inch diskettes at this time, but individuals and organizations can donate one, 10, or 100 diskettes. (contributed by Darrel Raynor, DARaynor@DataAnalysis.com)
Office Fixtures
USA Lamp & Ballast Recycling Inc. http://www.usalamp.com offers pickup services to recycle cathode ray tubes, fluorescent and high density discharge light bulbs, flyorescent ballasts, and batteries. The firm also offers lamp recycling kits so people and organizations can ship their used lamps and light bulbs if a pickup cannot be arranged.
Other Recycling
Want to get rid of your old design magazines and journals? The Design Exchange, a nonprofit design and innovation educational organization in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, wants to add your design magazines and books to its resource center. You’ll get a tax receipt for the value of your donation, but you’ll also be ensured that the material continues to be readily available to you and others in the design community. For more info or to visit the resource center, email Michael Choo at michael@dx.org or visit http://www.designexchange.org
Published in March/April 2011 Newsletter