Recycle old cell phones

And help create lasting solutions for poverty and climate change

 
In the United Sates alone, more than HALF A BILLION cell phones are no longer being used and are ready for recycling.

Another 11 MILLION phones are added to that total each month!


Women of the ELCA has teamed with the Women’s Funding Network in an ongoing effort to recycle cell phones and raise money at the same time.


Money raised will be used to:

  • support programs that lift women and families out of poverty;
  • help support women-led solutions to the most pressing global issues, from climate change to economic security; and
  • provide 911 emergency phones for senior citizens and people at risk.

How it works:

  • Roughly 60 percent of cell phones sent in will be refurbished and resold. A percentage of the revenue generated from resold phones is invested in programs that lift women and families out of poverty.
  • A portion of the phones not sold will be programmed to dial 911 and donated to domestic violence survivors, elders and low-income people at risk for use in emergencies.
  • The remaining cell phones are recycled according to EPA standards.

Why is it important?
  • A staggering 70% of people in poverty globally are women and children.
  • In the United States alone, 14.6 million women and nearly 13 million children are living below the poverty line–equal to the combined populations of Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin.
  • Recycling one million cell phones reduces the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as taking 1,368 cars off the road for a year.

Participation is easy

Visit The Women's Funding Network's cell phone recycling pages at  http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/take-action/consumer-actions for fact sheets, collection box labels, and more.

When you're ready to send in a box of phones, go to http://www.recellular.com/wfn/(S(gzpg05a3ek3gdr45t2l4ne45))/Home.aspx.  Click on "Women of the ELCA," and then fill in the information requested. You'll get a printable, prepaid shipping label that you print right at home from your computer and then affix to the box. It's that easy!


Ideas for getting people involved

  • Create “team” challenges: Have your congregational unit divide into teams, and challenge each other to collect the most cell phones by an agreed-upon date. Or perhaps a synodical organization could create a contest to see which congregational unit, or cluster/conference, can collect the most phones.
  • Conduct cell phone recycling drives in your community. Place collection boxes in your church, local coffee shops, or community centers. Feature cell phone recycling at your events and ask local businesses to host a box. Collect from your neighbors.
  • Promote the effort by including information about cell phone recycling in your newsletter, worship bulletins, and correspondence.