But not to YouChange.com. They find value in that pile of ewaste.

You Change is a Phoenix-based service that keeps ewaste out of landfills. You can either mail in your your old electronics, or they will pick them up. They will cull through the items, refurbish and resell what they can giving you a portion of the profits, and recycle the rest. None of what you give them will ever hit a landfill.

Derrick Mains, Enviro-entreprenuer, hummus aficionado, and executive vice president of YouChange.com, said,

“Every year more than 140 million cell phones pollute landfills. Add that to computers, mp3 players, game consoles and other electronic items, and the problem is immense. YouChange is remarketing those items that could have a second life and recycling those that don’t. On www.youchange.com you have the ability to see what the secondary market value of your item is and best of all YouChange will buy those items from you! Reducing your impact on the environment and making a buck. What more can you ask for?”

So if you’re like most consumers, you have drawers, and boxes, and closets, and even offices full of dust-collecting electronics. YouChange offers one way to unclutter your life of ewaste and make a dollar or two while you’re at it.

Do you know of other services where readers can easily recycle their electronics? Please share in the comments section below.

Goodwill International’s new “Donate Movement” is a model of online efficiency for consumer engagement. “Waste not, want not.”

They don’t doddle around trying to explain their differentiation over other important “green” causes and sustainability programs that compete for your attention. The “D Movement” website involves you immediately by enabling you to donate and recycle NOW!

Goodwill’s new “D Movement” is a partnership with Levi Strauss to make donating a more conscious decision. Their plan is to make the “D” the universal symbol for donating, like the recycling logo is to recycling. Would you really expect anything less from America’s first real recycler?

You always hear about “Search optimized” websites. Goodwill has “People optimized” this site.

For starters, you can quickly see the impact your donations have with Goodwill’s Donation Impact Calculator prominently featured on its homepage. The three pair of jeans I just donated to Goodwill of Central Arizona will support 34 minutes of on-the-job training. The two jackets I’m not going to need in our 112 degree weather just bought 1.2 hours of training. What do you think one lamp is worth in training? See for yourself.

Goodwill’s Thrifty Social Media Strategy Includes:

• Goodwill makes it easy to “Like” the Donation Impact Calculator by locating the Facebook “thumbs up” button as part of the calculator’s interface.
• The site uses Google maps to help you quickly find your nearest Goodwill donation center.
• A live Twitter feed captures on-going chatter about the campaign.
• A real-time digital counter tells you the poundage of usable items being saved from landfills.
• You’re encouraged to show your support by adding the donate button to your Twitter and Facebook profile photos through the use of Twibbon. They pay you back with immediate gratification as you pop up as a “Recent supporter” on their site. Great engagement tool that compounds the reach of their campaign. Smart!
• Goodwill invites you to join their blogger network. They request a post about why you donate, and ask that you include their donate button on your site. I’m joining, are you?
• “Make a commitment to de-clutter… and donate your gently used clothing and household items to Goodwill a few times this year,” is their last call-to-action in the support section on the Donate Movement site.

Goodwill & Levi’s Nifty WOM Promotion

All great green marketers know that a sustainable word-of-mouth marketing strategy happens both online and off. That’s why I love what Levis is doing with the campaign right in their britches.

They’ve created a care label that tells you how to have the least impact on the planet with the washing of your jeans. The final tip is to donate your Levi jeans to Goodwill when no longer needed.

What the “D Movement” means by the numbers:

1. Goodwill diverts some two billions pound of useful product from landfills each year.
2. The revenue generating through the resale of donated items helped 1.9 million people in a variety of industries in 2009.

What do you think? After touring their site, does it push your donate and recycle buttons, or does it push you away?

The guys at PlantMyPhone.com understand this principle. They have created a marvelously simple cell phone recycling model that helps reforest the planet, while keeping toxins out of landfills.

How to Recycle Your Cell Phone and Help Reforest the Planet

I was so intrigued by PlantMyPhone.com’s operational model that I reached out for an interview through their “Contact us” form. To my great surprise and delight, Hans Chung, one of the co-founders, answered my request in a couple of hours. That’s rare these days to receive such a rapid response, and it tells me a lot about their approach to customer service.

Hans told me that the primary goal of PlantMyPhone.com is to make it “Super easy” to dispose of cell phones. “People don’t carry old phones on them. They stuff them in drawers or worse, throw them in the garbage.” It’s the simplicity of their plan that makes it so powerful.

1. Easy for the Consumer to Recycle: PlantMyPhone.com will send you a free mailing bag, or you can download a free, postage-paid mailing label. You can also pick up a free mailing bag at participating retailers. But they’ve only been live for two months, so their retailer network is still under construction. Plus, PlantMyPhone.com will take ANY phone, its power cord and recharging unit. Their business model allows for three levels of phones: 1. phones to be refurbished, 2. phones that are dismantled for parts, 3. phones with no redeeming value. They make money on the first two levels, and lose money on the trash phones. However, their system keeps ALL phones and their toxic innards – cadmium, lead and mercury – out of landfills.
2. Simple Way to Increase Recycling Volume for Recyclers: Hans and his team simply used the internet to connect existing cell phone recycling programs with Sims Metal Management and Belmont Trading Company without having to reinvent a whole new collection and recycling model.
3. Enhanced Reforestation: From recycling plants to planting trees in 12 tropical countries where reforestation can have the most impact on global warming, PlantMyPhone.com has also plugged into existing systems. They use award-winning agro-forestry programs like Sustainable Harvest to ensure the proper trees are planted in the right regions.
4. Transparent Recycling & Reforestation Reporting: Did you know a first generation Apple iPhone is worth 79 trees? PlantMyPhone.com details which phones are worth what in seedlings. You can even check on the status of your phone and the trees its planting.
5. Endorsed Peace-of-Mind: They and their partners adhere to a “No export, no landfill,” policy. Their partners are ISO 14001 certified and endorsed by the EPA.

Hans told me that  that the average life cycle of a cell phone with a user is 18 months. According to Recycling for Charities, 148 million cell phones become obsolete and discarded annually in the US. Over 700 million cell phones will be stockpiled in U.S. homes, and 75 percent of obsolete phones are put in drawers by people who don’t know what to do with them.

Now you do.

If you’re like most consumers, chances are you will dispose of your electronics, and all of the toxic material inside, someplace rather than a recycling center specifically designed to handle e-waste. These are the findings from a Rocky Mountain Poll released this morning by Behavior Research Center.

According to the study, here is how consumers typically dispose of electronics:

• 39% would donate to charities such as Goodwill Industries
• 25% would palm it off on a friend
• 15% would simply put it in the garbage destined for landfills
• 4% said they have no clue what to do with their electronic stuff

The primary challenge to recycling e-waste is the relatively low consumer awareness of how and where to recycle. The study found:

• Awareness declines in rural areas
• Awareness declines among younger consumers (who are the most likely to own and update their electronic equipment)
• Awareness “falls off” in middle and lower income groups
• It also appears that a special public
 information campaign may be needed for Hispanic consumers who are among
 both the most likely to have unused equipment at home (59%) and are the
 most likely to believe that it is okay to dispose of such material in
 the garbage (34%).

Earl de Berg, Chairman of Behavior Research Center

According to Earl de Berg, Research Director at Behavior Research Center, “There are private companies in Arizona that specialize in receiving, recycling, and otherwise disposing of used electronic equipment, but they appear relatively invisible to consumers. These companies are principally oriented to providing services to business, industry and government, even as much of the toxic e-waste problem is in the basements, garages, and homes in our neighborhoods.  A clear need exists to increase consumer awareness of specific recycling options.”

Private companies like West-Tech Recyclers target commercial accounts, even though they are a great resource for consumers.

de Berg added that it may be reasonable to conclude that much 
material that is currently stored in garages and closets will still end 
up in city trash barrels unless specialized collection centers do more
 to make the pubic aware of their services and locations.

One option for consumers is Earth911. This is a terrific online resource to find out where to conveniently recycle just about everything, including electronics. But it still requires them to take their old electronics to a specialized facility.

To read the entire study, click here: Rocky Mountain Poll

Here’s Tiffany…

Tiffany Franquemont, MIZZOU Account Service Apprentice at Park&Co

For a few days now, I’ve been searching Google trying to find companies that encourage recycling and what they are doing to get this message across to consumers. I found Coca Cola to be the perfect example.

Did you know that Coca Cola makes T-shirts out of its own recycled soda bottles? Neither did I. In fact, I didn’t even know that the beverage company had its own sustainable fashion line. The line is called “Drink2Wear” and it includes not only T-shirts, but tote bags, bags, caps, purses and notebooks as well and they are all made from recycled plastic bottles, with slogans such as “Make Your Plastic Fantastic” and “Rehash your Trash” displayed on them.

I love how Coca Cola uses something as simple as a T-shirt, as a way to remind consumers how recycling a few plastic bottles can help protect our environment in the long run. This got me thinking about other ways that companies can get the “recycling” message across to consumers.

I just read an article in Advertising Age about cause marketing and why it’s surviving the recession. According to a study from Opinion Research Corp., 76 percent of consumers are willing to pay more at the cash register for environmentally friendly products. So, how can we get people to recycle so that other companies can create these cool, green trends for us to buy?

Here are five things we have found in getting this message out—

1. Provide incentives
2. Make it convenient
3. Add value, such as support for a cause
4. Make it simple
5. Educate the younger generation

Here are some examples of companies that use these as a way to get its target market to recycle—

• Verizon Wireless has a cell phone battery recycling program for customers to join to help protect the environment. Verizon also participates in the Call2Recycle Program, which is designed to educate the public about the need to recycle batteries. Verizon Wireless also has a HopeLine Program, which collects no longer used cell phones and either restores or recycles them. With the money raised from the sale of the restored cell phone, Verizon donates cell phones to non-profit domestic violence shelters.
• Best Buy gives incentives to consumers for recycling efforts. The company charges $10 to recycle any item with a physical screen, and in return, each customer that recycles a television receives a $10 gift card.

To sum it up, you should recycle so that companies can design and produce environmentally friendly fashions for us! Oh and in case you were wondering where to buy Coca Cola’s sustainable fashion line… Wal-Mart is the place to go.

Thanks Tiffany.  Great job!

Ed and I Discuss Green Marketing & Simple Sustainability

Hollywood’s most eco-centric celeb, Ed Begley Jr., graciously spent a few minutes with me following his keynote speech at Valley Forward’s Livability Summit in Phoenix, Az. One of the quotes from his talk that resonated the most with me was…

“The two biggest lies about our environment are: There is no problem with the environment, AND; The problems are so dire that we can’t do anything about them.”

If you’ve seen his TV show, “Living With Ed,” or read his new book, “Living Like Ed,” you’ll know he’s all about the easy and inexpensive things you can do to live more sustainably. I am surprised at how few people have seen his incredible documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car.” Definitely Netflix-worthy.

My three take-aways for green marketers from Ed and our conversation:

1. Emphasize the health issues: “It is your right to have healthy air and water.”
2. Talk about the little things people can do: “All I hear about is solar panels and electric cars. Do the easy stuff like recycling and conservation first.”
   
3. Living sustainably is not expensive: “Can you afford to ride your bike to work or use a CFL?”

Essentially, Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle, upcycles trash and turns it into new products.  We’re not talking just plastics, cans and glass. We’re talking just about everything.

They got their start by feeding organic waste to worms, liquefying their poop and packaging it in reused soda bottles.

Today, TerraCycle produces a host of organic lawn & garden products, household cleaners, fire starters and logs, bags, and office products; all from upcycled materials.

TerraCycle isn’t just selling to you. The company gets you involved.  Check out their “Capri Sun & Honest Kids Drink Pouch Brigade” From their site:

Every year BILLIONS of drink pouches end up in dumpsters and landfills across America. TerraCycle, Capri Sun and Honest Kids are working together to put an end to this awful loss of resources. As an eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle is going to convert the used drink pouches into unique fashion bags, tote bags, and pencil cases for kids and adults!

Where a lot of “green” companies fall down is the lack of education on how exactly they produce their products, which leaves much to the imagination of a cynical public.  Not TerraCycle. Throughout their site they do a nice job showing how the products are made.

Finally, you don’t become a great eco-capitalist without some great eco-marketing. Last year TerraCycle teamed with Target stores and Newsweek Magazine on a brilliant promotion. Again, one designed to get their customers involved in their mission while generating the “raw materials” they needed for their inventory: In this case, plastic bags.

TerraCycle ran an ad on the cover of Newsweek and created a postage-paid envelope that invited readers to send in their used plastic Target bags. The returned bags were then re-purposed into the store’s unique ReTote bags. Those mailing in their bags received a coupon for a free ReTote from Target. This ad ran last year in the April 7 edition of Newsweek.

Keep an eye for hopefully another clever marketing/recycling/educational stunt by TerraCycle.

You can start by signing up for Earth Hour to Earth Day Challenge on Twitter for your daily tip.

For each of the 26 days, take five minutes to do one of the following:

1. Turn off ALL lights on Friday when you leave for Saturday’s Earth Hour.
2. On Sunday, make five minutes to take your lunch to work.
3. On Monday, change out one old fashion light bulb to a compact flourescent lighting (CFL) and encourage your staff to do the same.
4. Take five to learn how to control heating and cooling costs.
5. Calculate your monthly commute cost.
6. Promote carpooling through easy online sources like erideShare.com., and with companies in your area like RideShare.com.
   
7. Give up your car and telecommute one day a week during the EH2ED Challenge and see how it goes.
8. If you have to drive, learn how to increase your gas mileage, whether you own a hybrid or not.
9. Tricks and tips for biking to work. This site is pretty good, too. Or the book.
10. Purchasing always loves to hear from you. So forward this site and encourage them to buy greener office products.
11. Opt out of receiving wasteful yellow and white pages printed phone directories.
12. Take five minutes to learn about zero-waste offices. Actually becoming one usually takes a little longer.
13. Pick-up a desk-side recycling bin.
14. Paper comprises up to 40% of the municipal waste stream, so take a minute to learn how you can start a paper recycling program.
15. Give your dead mouse a proper burial. Reduce, reuse and/or recycle old computers and other electronics.
16. Take a second to learn how to recycle printer cartridges.
17. Every company needs to print something, sometime. So start by making a list of green printing companies in your area and then use one.
18. Take five minutes to learn how carbon offsetting works so that you can apply it in your office.
19. Whew, take a five minute break and play “Tip Tank” water conservation concentration game.
20. Locate a green web hosting company to host your Earth-friendly site.
21. Use your blog or website to offset 350 pounds of carbon by placing the Brighter Planet badge on your site.
22. Make your website carbon neutral with a click of your mouse (and a small monthly fee).
23. Wake up five minutes earlier every morning and put that time to use for a green project or thought.
24. Sign up for CoolPeopleCare.org’s daily email on easy things you can do to help the planet five minutes at a time.
25. Donate/recycle your office furniture and computers to Goodwill.
26. Go green with your gifts to employees, colleagues, clients and vendors?

What are you going to do at the office to make a difference for the Earth Hour to Earth Day Challenge? Please let me know by commenting below and/or sending me and your followers an email or tweet.

Here are the rules he’s been living by:

The Rules

1. If something is waste that I have generated, I’ve got to deal with it. If I buy something for myself, the packaging is mine to deal with. Hopefully this will entail figuring out what it is made of, what would happen to it if it were “thrown away” and what I will be doing with it.

2. Any waste that I generate that can be recycled, will also be saved. Recycling is better than “throwing away” but it still takes energy and creates waste so I think accounting for recycling will be an important factor.

3. Any waste, which for health reasons (dog poop, medical waste from doctors visits, etc.) cannot be saved, will at least be noted and examined regarding the impact of its creation and disposal.

4. Food preparation has been something that I have been struggling with as I have a wife and two daughters who are not undertaking this experiment. Since food will be prepared for the family at times, I’ll have to figure out how to account for this and will be as honest as I can be in my accounting as I go along. In order to make up for any possible discrepancy in this area, I have decided that when out with my daughters, I will be responsible for any waste they generate as well.

5. Finally, I know there will be gray areas that I haven’t thought of, and some of this will have to morph as I go along. That said, I think the golden rule is going to be “when in doubt, it’s my responsibility to deal with”.

Ok, so maybe we’re not ready to tackle our 365 days worth of trash this year. So how about a One Week Trash Challenge?

Can you sustain that?

Happy New Year!

• The Story of Stuff is user-friendly: This is an entertaining jaunt through the five stages of product consumption, including extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal with tangible examples in every chapter.
• It’s believable: Annie talks about the process in a very friendly, matter-of-fact way that is impactful, because instead of ranting, she’s educating.
• It is efficient in its storytelling: The simple animations are fun and clever as they accentuate her points without being overproduced. The creative style further supports the central message of the video: “Conscious consumption.”
• It’s universal: The video doesn’t solely rely on its narration to deliver the story.  The visuals tell a powerful story in their own right, which makes the piece more accessible to non-English speaking audiences. Demonstrating its global appeal, The Story of Stuff has been translated in 11 languages, which can be downloaded from Annie’s new international website.
• Evangelist distribution: Annie has made it easy for anyone to promote and distribute her movie with free banner ads, posters, movie trailers, and the movie itself. She even educates you on how to host a screening.
• The Story of Stuff Blog: And of course, Annie has a blog to keep all of her followers up to speed on new stuff about stuff.

It’s a brilliant production backed by a brilliant use of rich, online media to activate the word-of-mouth buzz of person-to-person interaction.  That’s how you get nearly 5 million hits to your green video on sustainability.  See for yourself.