How will you honor Earth Day?

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
–Dr. Suess, The Lorax
 
Sometime in the 1970s, our country started an awareness campaign about cleaning up America. Remember the commercial with the crying Native American who went from paddling his canoe to having trash tossed at his feet from a passing car on a city street? Who can forget the close-up of his tear, and the tagline: “People start pollution. People can stop it.”

This campaign is as old as The Lorax, Dr. Suess’ story about saving the planet from industrialization and pollution. Those reading it for the first time probably had one or two thoughts about Suess: He was way ahead of his time, or, he was off his rocker completely. The truth is likely somewhere in between. 
 
In some circles, global warming is a joke, a false alarm. Some say it’s a fad to win political favors. What side you take argue on this issue is no matter, as long as we can all agree to keep it clean—our earth, that is.
 
By now you’d have to be blind and deaf to miss out on the press given to plastic bags and light bulbs. I’m taking it for granted that you are at least considering going to Energy Star light bulbs and recycled cloth bags. But how about recycling your old computer equipment?
 
The Environmental Protection Agency is spearheading an “eCycling” program to encourage consumers to bring most any old technology equipment—computers, TVs, fax machines, stereos and cell phones—to coordinating partners throughout the United States.
 
In addition, the EPA is targeting old cell phones, specifically, because so many are sitting in drawers and landfills, but they could easily be recycled and reused, perhaps even collected by a school or other organization in a fundraising campaign. “Recycle your cell phone,” the EPA states. “It’s an easy call.” 
 
And, if you do like the idea of recycling old phones, consider supporting Cell Phones for Soldiers, a like-campaign that also benefits our troops. Yesterday, I received a shipment from Amazon that included a postage-paid envelope addressed to the Cell Phone Recycling Center. All I have to do is slip my old cell phone inside and drop it in the mailbox. Want to find out more about how you can participate and Help Our Troops Call Home? Visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.