Pay to Play

In recent news, Best Buy has implemented a fee to receive CRT monitors and TVs as well as flat panel screens. The $25 fee may seem small in the grand scheme of things but it feels a little disingenuous too charge people for being ecologically conscious. Half of US states have no take back or reclamation laws in place. This opens the door for corporate entities to do whatever they choose with these type of programs.

My speculation is that most people will find this fee too high and just throw the device away instead of making the effort to properly dispose of it. This is an example of a company being a bigger problem than the solution. By putting this barrier in place, it is a disincentive for the consumer to even bother. The real benefit immediately is to the manufacturer. I would think that tax credits and other tax benefitable losses created would be enough of a direct incentive for a change in practice.

Sadly, this shows the lack of progress in the consumer market, at least from the position of the retailer. Best Buy is one of the few with an active collection system, whereas companies like Amazon and Walmart do nothing of any real value. Staples and Office Depot have programs similar to Best Buy and are at least making efforts but they seem too little with a pay wall in place. Share your thoughts and let's discuss possible alternatives and ways to remedy this.

The Power of Parody

It has been said for decades that laughter is the best medicine. While there is no scientific evidence that would support this, laughter can help to remedy certain situations. Parody has been used for centuries to draw attention to political and social issues by making fun of hot button issues. The results vary from people trying to use copyright to censor what is an expression of free speech. In many cases the message is well received by the general public due to the less serious nature of the delivery. 

Geico understands that YouTube audiences skip ads and have launched a marketing campaign directly making fun of that. In the ad, the company points out that you can't skip the ad because it's already over. It's humorous and memorable and yip remember it, even though it has nothing to do with the product being sold. Parody has a similar effect in taking something serious and taking a less serious approach to drawing attention to it. Just because an issue is something that requires attention, doesn't mean you can't have a laugh regarding it. 

In the end you have to realize that we are all people and approaching something with a sterile, boring attitude isn't going to earn you any points with people. Besides, recycling can in fact be entertaining.

Recycling Confusion

When I was in the Army, I had a habit of saying and doing things that got the wrong kind of attention from my chain of command. One of the extra duty types I was saddled with and began to actually enjoy was working at the base recycling center. What I learned there was that there are a lot of items people assume are recyclable, but in reality are a nightmare for facilities to process.

The one that caught me off guard was the plastic grocery bag. It's thin, light weight, and one would assume it would be relatively easy to process. What people fail to realize is the elasticity of those bags and the kind of damage that can be done to the machinery that processes them. The machines would get clogged for hours and extra duty turned into sitting in the lounge playing video games, waiting for the technician. A lot of people would have taken this as an opportunity to slack off but I like to know the why of things. I asked the technician why a machine designed to process plastics would jam up like that. His response was a bit of an eye opener.

He described the specialized equipment used to break down bags and that type of material and informed me that generalized processors like the one we used, were not designed for this sort of material. If you ever wonder why there is a separate place for recycling your grocery bags, you now have a better idea as to why they have their own individual sorting box. Had I not gotten sideways with a Lieutenant Colonel, I never would have known. Still, I don't recommend it.

The Speeches will continue until the E-Waste situation improves

The phrase talk is cheap has been cliche since the 80's. The real meaning behind it is that talking about something with no action behind the words has little value. Talk does have value when there is a call to action that engages people and inspires them to make progressive changes.

Making your mark on the environment takes more than posting a few comments on social media. While it is important to get the message out, if everyone is talking about the problem and no one is working to repair the damage, the echo chamber effect will take over. No change will take place and the cycle will continue.

Here is my challenge to you. Continue to post and get the word out. But also take the time to make a small change in your life to positively affect change in the environment. You will be a part of the voice and a real force for change in the world.

Our own worst enemy

I was looking at my desk recently and I realized that I am as much a part of the problem as anyone else in the electronic waste concern. I have numerous gadgets and devices that I use in varying frequency. Looking at the mess of "cool stuff" I have accumulated I realized that I am contributing to the problem by buying these things.

After a few soul searching minutes I did an inventory of what I have and what I actually use. Only about 15% of what I own are items I use regularly and the rest fall into the category of novelty or just something that allows me to be lazier than I should be about certain tasks. Taking stock of my junk made me realize that there are probably hundreds of thousands of people just like me out there that have a bunch of gadgets that make life perceptibly easier but in reality just contribute to the ever increasing electronic waste problem.

I am not expecting anyone to go out and recycle all of their neat gadgets and novelty items that don't "serve a purpose." While that would be noble, let's be real here. You bought it for a reason and you paid good money for it. I don't intend to dispose of my technology but I am now far more aware of the situation moving forward. Be cognizant of these concerns before making the purchase. That is where we can slow this process. If the makers of such items have less incentive to produce (i.e. Lower sales figures) then the problem will work itself out naturally.

Be aware of what drives the market and you can affect the front of the funnel rather than the tail end. The best way to effect change in this is to hit the market earlier in the purchasing cycle. Prevent the mess from being made rather than clean it up.

Wiping the Slate Clean

We talk a lot about proper device disposal but after a careful look back, I don't believe we ever took the time to list some of the steps you can take to protect yourself and your privacy before disposing of your device. Below is a list of steps you should take before sending your device to a reclamation site or a drop location.

Wipe your device - Be sure, if your device is functional, to reset it to factory settings and erase contacts, photos and other information. Obviously, you want to back up important data that you may need but removing that information from your device is important. Follow the steps for your device listed below:

• Apple iOS Devices: Settings | General | Reset | Erase All Content and Settings 
• Android Devices: Settings | Privacy | Factory Data Reset
• Windows Phones: Settings | About | Reset Your Phone
• BlackBerry Phones: Options | Security Options | Security Wipe

Remove any SIM or removable media card from your device. To avoid issues with your carrier, remove your SIM card and dispose of it. Some providers will take the old card and dispose of it for you. Also collect your micro SD or other removable media from the device. These can be reused and may have information you want to keep. 

Follow these steps prior to disposing of your device and you will protect your privacy and your friend's and family's information. 

Proper Disposal

A common misconception that many people have is that any type of electronic can be disposed of as electronic waste. Just because it has electronic components in it does not mean it is e waste. There are several categories and individual items that are generally accepted and some that are prohibited for various reasons.

These are generally acceptable because there are no regulatory barriers in place on disposal and collection.

• CRT Monitors
•  LCD Monitors
•  Notebook Desktops
•  Key Boards
•  Mice
•  Printers
•  DVD Players
•  Fax Machines
•  Copiers
•  Scanners
•  PDAs
•  Memory
•  Hard Drives
•  Televisions
•  Plasmas
•  Networking Gear
•  Servers
•  Circuit Boards
•  SPAM Routers
•  Circuit Cards
•  Test Equipment
•  Gauges
•  Stereo Equipment
•  Small appliances
•  Radios (Communication Equipment)
•  Cable Assemblies
•  Data/Technology Equipment
•  Process Control Equipment
•  All IT Infrastructure
•  Telecom Equipment
•  Medical Equipment with NO BIO Hazards
•  Generators
•  All Business/Office Consumer Electronics
•  Cell Phones 

There is also a list of prohibited items that are taken by some locations but not others based on their regulatory compliance. Most of the denied items are refused because of hazards to those collecting or because of the laws surrounding the items themselves. Some examples are items that have any sort of compressed gas tank, biohazard or hazmat items, anything that contains a chemical requiring an MSDS, and liquids of any kind. 

Knowing what to and not to drop at a collection location is important. Check with your local collection site and see what they can accept. Keep informed and you can make a difference. 

One small step

It's hard to believe that 2016 is already here. A week into the new year and the new year is filled with promises of new innovation and technological advancement. We are already seeing release dates for the next generation of smart devices and wearables to be hitting the market in 2016. Yet the state of recycling of electronic waste is still not caught up to the rate of consumption of these new devices.

Fortunately, we have seen a marked improvement in social awareness of the effect that this has on the environment as a whole and on the cost of goods in the mobile device market. There have been many new initiatives that were implemented in 2015 that have forced the issue into public view. Many of the nations that are used for off shore dumping have put in place new regulations on dealing with electronic waste and reclamation of the usable materials.

These may seem like small insignificant steps, but the truth of the matter is that even slowing the decline is progress. At some point we will hit a point of equilibrium and the steps taken will be a hallmark of progress in preserving the environment. One small step in the right direction is the beginning of any journey. The world seems to be taking that step, however small it may seem today, towards the right path.

What is best in life

To crush aluminum cans, to see them driven to the recycling plant, and to....wait that's not right. But it is a little bit funny. Sometimes you just have to not take things so seriously to get someone's attention. Awareness about recycling and taking an interest in sustainability does not have to be so stiff.

I have found that humor is one of the best ways to reach people when dealing with a serious subject is to make them laugh. In life, there is little more important than laughter. Adding a little levity can do a lot to humanize what may be viewed as a cold and dispassionate topic.

There isn't a lot funny about environmental concerns but I think we can all take a moment to not take life so seriously all the time. Have a happy holiday and remember to properly dispose of your waste. Or Conan will be there the following morning.

Our top 10 Recycled Christmas Decorations

We talk a lot about repurposing materials. We did some searching and found some cute ideas that people came up with to decorate with hacked trash. These are our top 10

Penguin Ornaments (lightbubs)

Soda Top Wreath

Perfectly On Key

Easy to Dew

Gift Worthy

Now your Tree can run Crysis

Perfect for the geek in your life

Someone drank a lot of soda to make these

The tree of the future

And my personal favorite

The Grinch that trashed Christmas

Many many years ago, there lived a man who cared nothing for his fellow man. Such was his disdain that he made no effort to show anyone any kind of respect or consideration. Worst of all, he was wasteful. He had more than anyone could ever want and three times as much as any one needs.

Each year when holiday time rolled around, he would spend to excess and buy all sorts of things for himself. But rather than keep or repurpose his old things, he would throw them away. This was upsetting to many of his neighbors. They knew of many less fortunate families with children who could use what he was wasting. From time to time, these neighbors would reach out to him and try to convince him to recycle or donate what he no longer needed. Sadly, he would lash out and tell them it was none of their concern.

Each year millions of tons of electronic waste are sent overseas to developing nations and not recycled or disposed of properly creating toxic living conditions. Don't be a Grinch. Recycle what you can this year and make the holidays happier for everyone for years to come.

Third World Blues

During the holiday season, we generally try to be more generous to one another. Our efforts to care about our fellow man seem to be more concerted and we seem to be more aware of those in need. What we don't always see is the way that our disposal of waste during the holidays impacts the world around us.

The holidays are a time of year for giving and being with family. Lots of food, gifts and fellowship. As anyone who has been the host of something like this can tell you, the mess can be intimidating. Even more so, the amount of waste produced has to go somewhere. With families around the country all having events like this, the impact of that waste can be devastating.

The bloat of waste dumping offshore during the quarter following the holidays increases every year. This year make an effort to reduce your waste produced. Recycle and dispose of those batteries that every device uses properly. Give your neighbors across the oceans the gift of a cleaner next year.

Fundraising Basics

In the past, we have touched on the topic of fundraising several times and the benefits and challenges associated with taking on this sort of thing. The reality is that no matter what your cause, raising money for it can be intimidating. How do you ask people for money?

Acting altruistically is the main reason people start a fundraiser. But capitalizing on someone's willingness to donate to your cause can be daunting. In many cases, people don't have the same passion that you do for your cause. This can lead to frustration, and in many cases, abandonment of the project altogether. But don't be discouraged. There are ways to raise money and awareness for your organization and below are some steps to make it easier on you and your potential donors.

First, you have to make it easy on the donor. This seems like common sense but most people fail to understand that someone may not be all that enthusiastic about your cause. Making it easy for them to be a part of it makes it easy for them to feel like they made a difference with little to no effort. Remove the barriers for entry and you will find more people willing to back you.

Second, find something that either costs them nothing or gives them more than what they feel like they paid for. In a world that is inundated with charity organizations, people tend to be spread thin on giving so making them feel like they either got something of value in return or lost nothing in the process makes this easier on them.

Finally, make sure you express your gratitude for their involvement. Following up with people to thank them for their involvement and show how their contribution made a difference is key to retaining them as potential future supporters. Again, it would seem like common sense but many people neglect showing appreciation and this may cause more churn in your support than is necessary.

These simple steps can make all the difference in reaching a goal and the frustration of failure.

End of the Line

Most people think of the end of a phone's life as the day you replace it. The truth is the end of life for most devices is much further along.  The majority end up in either landfills or get shipped overseas to underdeveloped nations.

In reality, there is a dark and toxic end to most of these stories. In most cases, a device will end up rusted, corroding, and seeping chemicals into water supplies and soil. This can go on for years and ruins farmland, drinking water and in some cases, the atmosphere in the surrounding area.

Are you directly responsible for this? No. To blame every person individually for something that is out of their control is ludicrous. But can you help stop this? Absolutely.

By preventing the device from making it to the dump you can prevent this. Reclaiming used devices through sites like Pandabit can slow and even stop this form of pollution. Even if you don't use us, Use something similar. Help make a difference.

Statistics can be scary

Do a quick google search on electronic waste and you will see pages upon pages of statistics regarding production, dumpsites, and loss leaders. Those numbers can be intimidating to those who are uninitiated or not familiar with the space. But they don't have to be. 

In reality, the statistics are less important to the individual than that persons individual impact. The statistics are not really what matters in the grand scheme of things. What matters, is the effort of a person. 

Measureable numbers put out on a global scale are intimidating to anyone. How can one person make an impact on something so huge? It's an old adage but it holds true in this situation. How does one swallow an elephant? One bite at a time. It seems so siimple but every little contribution made towards the end goal has an impact even if it isn't measurable to the naked eye. Knowing that you did your part can be satisfying though. 

Worry less about the numbers and more about the effort. It will scare you less.

Are you really recycling?

Earlier in the week we posted a few quotes about recycling. These were by design and hold true in a lot of respects. The truth is, if you aren't on the back end of the recycling process, it's pointless. More directly, if you are not buying recycled products, then the recycling process is completely useless.

Follow the logical thought progression and it will make sense. Recycling is about reusing the products that were already processed and refined. This is meant to conserve natural resources and reduce the footprint on the environment. The proverbial hitch in the giddyup here is that if you aren't a part of the process of actually using these products then it's a zero sum. Unconsumede recycled products actually increase waste. The energy used to recycle in addition to producing new products has a greater negative impact.

The moral of the story here is that when you recycle there is another side to the coin. Consumption of the products is as important as the recycling effort itself. Finish what you start.

State of Decay

We can all agree that electronic waste is a problem. How big the problem is has been in question for quite some time but the measurable impact on the environment is staggering. Each year the footprint of electronic waste increases. Fortunately there are remedies that exist with new innovations occuring all the time.

The decay of electronic components left in dumpsites is one of the leading causes of toxic waste among these sites. Many components contain small amounts of mercury, levels that are insignificant on their own, but in amounts that can aggregate in landfills to levels of toxicity that is relevant to the surrounding areas. 

Capacitors, batteries, memory modules and many video components contain heavy metals that can poison water supplies. These effects don't go away over time. Water supplies can be damaged for decades due to the impact of electronic waste. The decay of the housing of these devices may slow the impact for years. The impact is real though. It's a time bomb that has an unknown countdown. 

You can help though. Go to www.pandabit.com to learn more. 

When the well runs dry

Sometimes the money runs out. Sometimes you have sheared the sheep too many times and it has no wool left. Sometimes the way you do things just doesn't work anymore. So what do you do when the well runs dry?

Simple - you dig a new well.

It seems like common sense but sometimes when that perplexing issue comes up people become paralyzed at the thought that their means have been cut off. The innovative and those who take inititaive look for alternate solutions. In some cases, they create one. 

Fundraisng is an age old concept. The first newspapers were crowdfunded. So was the Statue of Liberty. It's hard to imagine that with the limited technology that things like crowdfunding have existed for the centuries that it has. The way something is used is what shows innovation. 

Nihil sub sole novum - there is nothing new under the sun. While this is true, there are always new ways to innovate and use existing methods in new ways. Even fundraising can learn something from this school of thought. Try this lifehack. Repurpose your old mobile technology. Use it as a vehicle to fund a cause. Platforms exist to create your own fundraising campaign with no investment. You take a full benefit with no expense. This is efficient fundraising. 

Why we raise

Every year we see the same catalogs with the same candy or cookie dough from the same kids. Each year we shell out a few bucks because these kids are raising money for some nebulous concept that we are loosely informed about. We give because of the kids, not because of the product. We never really look to see what the cause is or why the money is raised. 

I have a few nieces and nephews ranging in ages from 2 to 16 and every year one of them is raising money for something. This year I asked my nephew what he was raising money for, and he looked at me like I had 3 heads. It never occurred to him that someone might ask questions. I told him that if he could tell me what he was raising money for and why it was important to him, I would buy from him. Of course, I planned to do it anyway. But I wanted him to learn a lesson about the why behind fundraising. 

He came back a few hours later with a much better informed answer about the what and why of hte fundraiser. It was for his JROTC trip to the Boeing Museum. The school doesn't provide money for trips like this and the opportunity to learn about aerospace science is lost in most schools. It was important to him because he wants to learn about flight and be like his step dad, the aircraft engineer. 

A few days later he asked me why I wanted to know about the fundraiser and my answer was simple. I told him that if he is going to get someone to care about his cause, he needs to know about it and care about it as well. It's disingenuous to ask someone else to support a cause you yourself don't support. He asked "what if I didn't care?" "Then why should I?" was my response. He laughed and I could tell he understood.

The lesson here is that you need to know why you raise. If you are ill informed about your raise and the cause behind it, no one is going to take you seriously or the organization you represent. How you raise money, as long as it's legal, isn't nearly as important as why it is important to you.  

Raise, call or fold?

It's that time of year again. Shortly after you arrive home from your work day you will most likely hear a knock on your door. Or perhaps you have children that age that will return home from school one day with some sort of catalog or a nondescript box of candy to sell. Yes, the pre-holiday season fundraiser push is about to go into full swing.

Whether it's candy, cookie dough or some other product, you can be assured someone will be selling it. The diversity of fundraising mechanisms have changed throughout the years and some organizations are exploring methods that are not centered around product sales.

Statistically, these models don't pay a lot of the principle raised to the beneficiary. the majority of the money goes to fulfillment of incentives and paying for product as well as the partner company. THis leaves roughly 10-15% for the organization. That amount of money is roughly the same margin as most restaurants that have to operate continually and in high volume to sustain themselves.

A newer model focused on reclamation and recycling of old technology has been making a push for the past few years and tends to pay a higher percentage to the organization. These models have no carry on inventory and are far less risky with a lower barrier for entry. They also operate with no minimums on amount raised to receive a significant payout. This sort of revenue sharing model is more progressive and many companies are trying this low risk alternative as an augment to existing platforms. Check out www.pandabit.com to learn more about how you can use this type of platform.