What is, and what do you do with, E-Waste?

If you haven't heard the term "E-waste" before then get prepared for it because you will definitely be hearing a lot about it in the future. Electronic waste is a term that has come sharply into focus in our current electronic world. Ewaste is a term which has come to represent any and all types of electronic equipment that is near to ending, or is ending, it's useful life span.

These out-dated electronics are quickly becoming any one of a number of computers, telephones, televisions, VCR's, stereos, i-pods, fax machines, or some such other similar electronic product that now needs to be disposed of. In essence it has become garbage, refuse, waste, trash or whatever other term that you would prefer to refer to it as. Scientifically it is now officially referred to as "electronic waste" or as it is more commonly known "e-waste".

We are an era that over the past number of years has been, and is still, enticed by an ever evolving supply of electronic gizmo's and gadgets. Technology is advancing at a rapid pace and the newest technology today is quickly outmoded as newer and even more advanced improvements to current electronics advance to the forward front. These new and improved products hit the shelves, and our old outdated or worn out electronics become "e-waste", and as such, need to be disposed of.

(To recycle your E-waste items there is a listing of U.S. organizations or businesses that recycle or reuse electronics. The "Electronic Product Management Directory" link is: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/Collection/)

The sheer number of electronic waste products that are being tossed into the local landfills is creating an environmental nightmare and has governments and environmentalists alike searching for new methods of recycling this ever growing pile of electronic waste. To add to the nightmare is the fact that a large number of these electronics contain hazardous waste materials and there are just not a lot of recycling programs currently in place to deal with this new form of garbage.

The E-Waste problem came to the forefront so quickly that not a lot of recycling programs at first considered it to be a potential problem. For this reason not many programs were in place to deal with this new form of waste material.

So without recycling centers in place to dispose of their electronic waste safely, people simply threw it away with their other trash, E-Waste began filling up the local landfills to an alarming degree.

Suddenly it became glaringly clear that recycling programs were desperately needed! They had to be created immediately to help put a stop to this new environmental nightmare. Public Education programs needed to be put in place. The sheer magnitude of E-waste being so rapidly created was creating a new environmental nightmare, and people needed to be made aware of the necessity of properly, and responsibly disposing of this new form of waste.

The E-Waste era had now become a reality.
(To recycle your E-waste items there is a listing of U.S. organizations or businesses that recycle or reuse electronics. The "Electronic Product Management Directory" link is: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/Collection/)

So what solutions have governments come up with for recycling all this e-waste? Currently it would appear that the three basic rules of recycling are as important here as they are in all areas of waste management. Reduce - Reuse - Recycle your electronic waste.

The basic reduce - reuse - recycle rules are:

Reduce the amount of waste that you produce by purchasing products with less packaging or that are re-usable or long lasting. Pack your groceries in cloth bags rather than the plastic disposable variety.

Reuse items. Use glass jars to store food in, as drinking glasses, or paint them to use as decorative containers for buttons, paperclips or other small household items. Cardboard boxes can be broken down for easy storage till they are needed again. Old shirts can be cut into rags and the buttons and zippers stored for later use. If you do not have a use for items, donate them to local charities, or to someone else that you feel might have a use for them.

Recycle whenever possible! Compost your vegetable and yard waste material. Recycle your tin cans, glass, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, plastics, ink cartridges, batteries and all other items that programs are in place to accept.

To recycle your E-waste items there is a listing of U.S. organizations or businesses that recycle or reuse electronics. The "Electronic Product Management Directory" link is: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/Collection/

Reduce the amount of waste that you create. If your electronics article is still in good working order, you can consider passing it along to someone else who could use it, or donating it to a local charity or thrift store. If it is no longer in working order than recycle it or store it until such a time as your community offers an "e-waste" recycling center.

Search engine ingenuity actually began long before the World Wide Web even came into existence. The concept of creating a data base of information came glaringly to light with the publishing of an article back in 1945 entitled "We May Think" written by Vannaver Bush. In this article he encouraged scientists to work together to develop a knowledge based system of information for the entire world to share.

"He then proposed the idea of a virtually limitless, fast, reliable, extensible, associative memory storage and retrieval system...Search engine evolution.

If you have an article to give away, and you don't know who to give it to, then Freecycle.com is a website that you might consider visiting.

Maybe you work for a company where cardboard boxes or wood pallets need to be disposed of, they are still in good condition so you really don't like seeing them wind up in the landfill, but you don't know how to connect to the people that could use them. Well freecycle is the site for you....Website reviews: Freecycle.com.

A two year study conducted by NASA has proven that common household plants are indeed helpful in removing harmful pollutants from the air around them. This means that the air within your home can be a little cleaner to breathe if you simply allow a few friendly little houseplants to come and share your humble abode with you. Houseplants help to purify the air.

You may be wondering why you have to clean the air in your home when you have worked so diligently to maintain a clean and germ free home. Well that extra housecleaning, and the household cleaning products that you have been using to do it, might actually be adding to the level of toxins contained in the air within your home....Houseplants That Help Clean The Air.

Having houseplants placed strategically throughout your home is much more than just a decorative option, these attractive living house guests actually help to filter, and remove numerous toxins from the air within your home. Having houseplants in your home can greatly improve the indoor air quality of your home.

Just place a few plants in each room of your house, and the air that you and your family breathe on a daily basis can be much cleaner, and this courtesy of these plants ability to remove pollutants from the air around them...Best houseplants to filter the air.

This is the point in my little life where it takes a wee bit of a strange twist ..... into my existance comes the love of my life... my rock... my all encompassing source of strength.... my man. He is a compliment to myself and to my life in all ways except for one ........ he knows nothing of recycling. Eeeeeeeeeeek!

He actually has the crazy notion that "Going Green" is some strange new government conspiracy to get a little additional money out of the average working Joe....Teaching Him To Reduce Reuse And Recycle.

When you participate in pleasurable activities like smiling, laughing, exercising or playing, your brain does an amazing thing and releases a little chemical message known as an endorphin.

These endorphins are feel good messages that have the power to actually remove physical and emotional pain. They travel down the spine, and then throughout your body, sending a feeling of well being as they go. These endorphins not only have the ability to relieve pain but they also have the power to make you feel happy. So remember to take time to play - It really is important.

www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/WhatisEwaste/

www.epa.gov/reduce

Images displayed on this article are from my family's personal photo album. Other images for this article were found at: Karen's Whimsy: Public Domain Images

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