Most of us have them somewhere: discarded cell phones cluttering up the drawers. Now an integral part of American life, cell phones are replaced by the millions each year, and many of them end up in landfills. Dig out your cell phones, batteries, and chargers and consider donating them to one of these worthy causes.
Your old cell phone could save a life someday. Donations of retired cell phones are accepted by The Wireless Foundation, a non-profit organization, and made available to survivors of domestic violence. The phones are refurbished and set up so they can only call 911 or other non-emergency numbers, such as a domestic-violence shelter. A cell phone may make the difference between life and death when an abused person is faced with an emergency situation. Go to www.wirelessfoundation.org where you can find detailed instructions for removing personal information from your old phone and the mailing address to send it to. Include the battery and charger, if possible. The phone and mailing expenses are tax-deductible, and you can print off a tax receipt from the website.
Your old cell phone can help show your appreciation for our American soldiers stationed overseas. Founded by two teenagers (with $21 of their own money) who were upset by the enormous cell phone bills some soldiers were paying to stay in touch with their families, Cell Phones For Soldiers accepts donations of discarded cell phones and sells them to ReCellular. The amount received for each phone is enough to buy a prepaid phone card that will allow a soldier to talk to his family for an hour. Since its inception, the program has raised more than $1,000,000 in donations and supplied 12,000,000 minutes of phone service to our armed forces abroad. Learn more about the program at http://cellphonesforsoldiers.com.
Discarded cell phones that end up in landfills or incinerators release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. These chemicals leach into our water supply and earth, or are released into the air, and can stay in the environment for a long time without breaking down. We have long been aware of the link between environmental pollution and cancers, nerve damage, reproductive failures, developmental problems and other adverse effects on human health.
Environmentalists may want to send their old cell phones to www.livingdesert.org. This non-profit group recycles cell phones to benefit the conservation of the Living Desert and Zoo. Their purpose is to reduce the mining of Colton, a metallic ore which is used in the manufacture of cell phones and other electronics. Miners in the Congo have illegally overrun the national parks, destroying natural habitats, and killing endangered elephants and gorillas for food. By recycling cell phones the Living Desert hopes to reduce the demand for Colton mining and its impact on the Central African environment.
Recycle For Breast Cancer recycles old cell phones to aid the war on cancer and is making an effort to protect our environment by reducing the toxic substances in our landfills. To give them your support, go to www.recycleforbreastcancer.org. Recycle For Breast Cancer also accepts donations of empty ink and toner cartridges, laptops and PDA.’s.
Have a particular pet charity? Visit wirelessfundraiser.com. Whether you want to support environmental causes, animal rights, issues concerning the elderly, cancer research, or many other worthy causes, Wireless Foundation can help you find a charity that will benefit from your donation.
