Environmental Protection Agency statistics show that for every 1 million cellphones that are recycled, 35,274 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered. This prevents these materials from ending up in local landfills and polluting local ground water supplies.
In 2020, 220,000 devices were recycled responsibly through Lukas Partners client UScellular’s Trade-In and Recycling programs. As a result, 99,000 pounds of e-waste were diverted from landfills and 280,500,000 gallons of water pollution was avoided.
While recycling or trading in old devices is one way to be green, there are other ways to reduce, reuse and recycle with the help of your smartphone. For Earth Day, and any day, UScellular offers tips to help take care of the environment.
-- Have fun (and get rewarded) by going greener.
o Recyclebank.com provides actionable tips and advice. Plus, users get rewarded with points to get discounts at local businesses and exclusive deals on sustainable goods.
o The fun JouleBug app also provides valuable information about how to make changes to your everyday habits at home, work and play to be more environmentally friendly. You can compete with friends in eco-challenges and even join local community and national challenges virtually in 2021.
-- Recycle more easily. RecycleNation is a location-based app that provides users directions to local recycling centers, hours of operation, as well as a list of materials accepted for recycling. The app also allows users to track their recycling progress and quantify their effect on the environment.
-- Share your treasures. The Freecycle app allows people to give away their unwanted, but reusable stuff to people in their local community. Users post items to give away or make requests for items on this convenient app. Keep in mind COVID-19 guidelines for no contact porch pickup or other contactless transfers.
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