Electronic waste can seriously harm the environment if improperly recycled. A proper E-Waste Drive can help people reduce the harm of their used up electronic goods by storing them in the right place.
ESTABLISH YOUR SCHOOL’S GRADES OF GREEN TEAM
Create a Grades of Green Team to help implement this activity in your community and to help implement future Grades of Green Eco-Actions. An organized team can help you research solutions, schedule events, assign dates, help with spreading the word, and more!
Step 2
FIND YOUR E-WASTE STATION
A quick Google search can help you identify E-waste collection sites in your area. See which site is most suitable for you and keep track of their hours. This might be a local waste-site that specializes in e-waste or a business in your area. In addition, you can mail E-waste to organizations like Terra Cycle. You can learn more about E-waste recycling with Terra Cycle by clicking HERE
Step 3
SET GOALS AND START TRACKING What do you want to accomplish by implementing this E-Waste Drive? Whether it’s setting a goal of the number of students involved or the waste collected, begin tracking your progress so you know when it’s time to CELEBRATE! You can weigh the waste to have a better understanding of how much waste was diverted and this can help with logistics for mailing and shipping this waste as well. You can also measure the amount of educated and informed throughout this process. Have a starting line so you can see how much waste is being diverted after you implement the activity!
Step 4
PLAN YOUR COLLECTION
After finding a suitable place for e-waste collection, set a time for when and where it will be possible for members in the community to dump their waste. Be sure that it is possible for people to dump their waste at this site without getting into trouble with others. It is important to share why it is important to recycle electronic waste with community members, because they might not know about the harmful effects of toxins leeching into the environment from these products. Set the following:
- An approved site to collect waste with a given time frame.
- Contact the collection site to see to let them know if there is anything can or cannot collect.
- Educational flyers or lessons for people beforehand so that people know what to dump and have a greater reason to drop off their E-waste.
Step 5
FIND A WAY TO MOVE YOUR WASTE
Before you start collecting waste, make sure that there is a volunteer (preferably an adult with a vehicle) to help you move the waste on the set collection date. This dumped waste might be heavy and it might be hard to contain. Be sure the separate certain goods based on your contact with the E-Waste site. Be sure that you have appropriately sized bins that can collect enough waste for your target audience.
Step 6
COLLECT AND WEIGH
On the day of collection, be sure that you weigh the total goods so that you can fill in metrics to help you with your goals. Be sure that people are assigned roles ahead of time so that everyone knows what to collect, where to guide people, how to weigh dumped e-waste, take pictures to improve coverage, and send waste to the collection site.
Step 7
MEASURE THE RESULTS Remember that goal you set earlier? How’d it go? How many students did you reach or how much E-waste did you reduce? You can measure your progress by comparing the amount of waste collected throughout the year if you keep conducting E-waste Drives.
Step 8
CELEBRATE AND SHARE THE RESULTS! You completed Grades of Green’s E-Waste Drive Activity for your school and we couldn’t be prouder. You helped inspire and empower students to care for the environment, and the earth is just that much better off as a result! Email us the results you achieved, as well as any photos or videos of your completed Grades of Green Activity. Tag @gradesofgreen on social media so we can help share your story! Whether it’s “before/after” photos or videos of the composting process, or a shot of your Grades of Green Team in action, email your Advisor and tag us on social media so we can help shout it from the mountains on our website, e-newsletter, and social media. And don’t forget to also let your school community and city government know about your great and green accomplishments.
Step 9
MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE What can you do to make this Activity sustainable at your school for years to come? Brainstorm with your Grades of Green Team for ways to make this activity sustainable and part of your school’s everyday culture. We suggest making Grades of Green positions permanent, as well as adding tips and suggestions to your PTA or volunteer handbook and adding a date to the calendar now to reeducate students next year as well!
Benefit to Students
Often children don’t make the connection between a trash can you put out at the curb and the landfill where the trash ends up. Educating students that some trash is hazardous and can be recycled is a great way to raise awareness and instill good habits.
Benefits to the Environment
This program can significantly reduce hazardous waste in the landfills.
Cost Savings
E-Waste Recycling will raise money for your school – making green while going green!