It’s Thursday and that means it is trash pick-up day in
Brownstown, MI. As I drive through my modest suburban neighborhood I notice a trend among most of the trash… high tech
cast-offs! Every week it is the same… computers, monitors, printers, and scanners. It seems as though no one knows what
to do with their old computer or equipment when they upgrade!
One computer giant, who is heading the call of environmentalists
everywhere, is developing a new tech-recycling program. Dell Computers (www.dell.com) has teamed up with the Calvert
group - a firm that offers “socially responsible” mutual funds, to develop new goals to meet the need for
more high-tech equipment recycling programs. Currently less than 10-30% of the computers sold annually, are recycled. Dell
has recently launched a new at-home pick up service for old PCs (at a cost of $15 per 50lb. box) and continues to offer a
free “trade-in” program for printers when you purchase a new Dell printer or supplies. Other companies that have
also teamed up with the Calvert Group are Apple Computer (www.apple.com), Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com), and
IBM (www.IBM.com).
In Detroit, we have other alternatives to calling the “Big
Four“ to haul away our old PCs. Think Detroit is a nonprofit community agency with a program called "Balls
& Bytes.” This program fosters the idea of teamwork and character building by offering team sports for children
to participate. Then some of the children (age 10 and over) are given a 20-hour computer training course where they learn
everything from word processing to understanding computer components and using the Internet. Upon completion of the course,
scholar athletes are given a free Pentium computer to take home. Think Detroit accepts donations of working Pentium computers,
VGA (or better) monitors, Inkjet and Laser Printers, copiers, scanners and fax machines. If you are interested in helping
please contact: Michael Tenbusch, Think Detroit Computer Recycling, 1419 West Warren, Detroit, MI 48208 or call (313)
833-1600.
