by Alex Francis
Photo by U.S. Army Environmental Command | Flickr.comJames Kao is intimately familiar with the desire to always strive for the latest and greatest in technological innovations—after all, for twenty years, he was one of the people behind such advances. But after spending two decades working in the software business, Kao was appalled and angered by the sheer amount of old computers, televisions, and similar gadgets that were ending up in landfills overseas.
Time for Change
His wake-up call came when watching a documentary about landfills in China, Africa, and the Philippines that were filled with old electronics that contained toxic chemicals from the United States and Europe.
So he left the software industry and founded Green Citizen, a company in California’s Bay Area that collects and disposes of unwanted electronics. But what makes Green Citizen’s efforts particularly commendable is its dedication to tracking everything that comes through its doors, ensuring that all of the electronics it collects are recycled back into raw materials, refurbished, or resold.
When discarded gadgets arrive at Green Citizen’s warehouse, they are examined by technicians to discern whether they can be fixed or must be scrapped. The devices that can be refurbished, which amounts to about 21% of all electronics received, are then resold on eBay. If a device is beyond repair, it is taken apart, sorted into bins for plastic, circuit boards, glass, and other base materials, and sent to be recycled back into raw materials. The bottom line is none of the electronics collected by Green Citizens end up in landfills.
Protect the Environment by Recycling Responsibly
Kao estimates that 80% of electronic waste created in the United States is shipped overseas to developing countries where workers extract core minerals with little to no regard for environmental safety precautions. By recycling your unwanted electronics with CJ Environmental, you can rest assured that all applicable EPA standards and guidelines are being followed and your devices will be either reclaimed or recycled accordingly. For more information on how to earn cash and protect the environment by selling your unwanted electronic devices or other precious metals, contact CJ Environmental today.