Earth911 Introduces the eWaste for Trees Technology Refurbishment Program
With technology use advancing worldwide, electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing problem worldwide. According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020, the world generated 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste in 2019, while only 17.4% was collected and recycled. We think it’s time to up the electronics recycling game. We are launching a new technology refurbishment program that plants 20 mangrove trees for each accepted mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. That’s right, 20 trees for each device.
We designed the Earth911 eWaste for Trees program to address the problem of e-waste in a sustainable way while also promoting reuse to extend a device’s useful life. By planting 20 trees for every device accepted for refurbishing, the program helps offset carbon emissions and restore ecosystems. By refurbishing devices, the program helps reduce the demand for new devices, reducing the volume of raw materials needed to manufacture them. When you send a device that is accepted for refurbishing, Earth911 will receive a commission that pays for the trees and helps fund our Recycling Search services.
Do you have a phone, tablet, or laptop ready for recycling — take the first step in our free, secure recycling program and plant 20 trees now.
Meet Our Partners
The Earth911 eWaste for Trees program is offered through a partnership with Donor Connection and Veritree. DonorCollection refurbishes technology to be reused, extending the device’s useful life to reduce its carbon footprint and the need to mine, process, and ship raw materials for use in manufacturing new devices. It also contributes part of the sale price of refurbished devices to support a growing list of charities, making it a win-win for both the environment and the community. Veritree is a leading carbon project and tree-planting organization.
Whether they have one phone or 1,000 laptops, consumers and businesses can participate at no cost by requesting a free shipping label from the Earth911 website. Not all devices will be accepted (see DonorConnection’s current criteria) because they may not be recent enough to refurbish. On acceptance of the devices, participants will receive a digital device passport via email that documents how, if any personal data remained on the device, it was securely destroyed. It also provides a follow-up report about what happened to the device, whether it was refurbished or responsibly recycled with an eStewards-certified facility. The passport provides transparency so people can recycle their devices with confidence, knowing that their data is safe and that their devices are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.
Veritree, our planting partner, has restored tens of millions of trees. Launched by the fashion label tentree, Veritree will plant 20 mangrove trees for each device accepted by DonorConnection. We selected Veritree because it delivers transparency to our readers who choose to recycle though the Earth911 eWaste for Trees program. After planting, Veritree monitors the mangroves’ health. Participants will be able to visit their trees online to see how the restored forests are progressing.
Participants’ trees will be planted in Kenya, Madagascar, and Indonesia as part of aggressive reforestation efforts that also create jobs for people in nearby communities. Mangrove are the most efficient carbon-collecting species of tree. According to published research, a mature mangrove tree can sequester between 110 pounds (50 kg) and 220 pounds (100 kg) of CO2 per year, depending on the species and growing conditions. A mangrove tree can capture up to 2,200 pounds of CO2 in the first 10 years after it is planted.
Only the Beginning
As we enter the era of sustainability, Earth911 is working to expand the choices you have when making end-of-life decisions about technology, plastic, metals, and consumer products ranging from bottles and cans to blenders and automobiles. Watch us grow, and help reforest the planet when you recycle. If you are a company looking for a way to encourage more recycling, drop us a line to talk about what we can do together.
We hope one of the main benefits of the program will be its convenience, which is critical to improving recycling rates. A free shipping label makes it easy for people to recycle devices without leaving their homes or offices. This has the potential to significantly increase the number of devices that are recycled, which will help reduce the amount of e-waste that ends up in landfills or is illegally exported to developing countries.
“We are excited to partner with Earth911 on this innovative new program,” said Charles Brennick, founder of DonorConnection. “By extending the life of devices and promoting responsible recycling, we can reduce our environmental impact and support local communities at the same time.”
Moreover, the program helps raise awareness about the importance of e-waste recycling and its impact on the environment. By providing users with a device passport that documents the journey of their devices, the program helps educate people about the importance of responsible disposal and the value of recycling.
We hope Earth911’s new eWaste for Trees program will prove to be an innovative solution to a growing problem. By planting 20 trees for every device that is refurbished, you can help drawdown carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, restore ecosystems and the economies of communities, and promote reuse while supporting the collection of more recycling information in Earth911 Recycling Search.
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