Since the release of the first iPhone in 2007, technology has been rapidly improving. An iPhone that you bought only three years ago is now considered “old” or “out of date”, rapidly being replaced with the newest, flashiest technology.
But what happens to all of the electronics that no one uses anymore? How do you throw away electronics sustainably? Well, Liberty’s Green Team has come up with the perfect idea: an electronic drive.
“Before we had the idea of the electronic drive, we had started with the idea of recycling empty ink cartridges,” Liberty social studies teacher and Green Team advisor David Dingler said.
Originally, Liberty would simply throw away all of their ink cartridges, creating lots of unnecessary waste; however Green Team decided to work with DTG recycling, a local recycling company, to recycle all of the empty cartridges.
“So far our partnership with DTG recycling for the ink cartridges has been going great, so our board decided to take it a step further, “ Dingler said. “Why just stop at ink cartridges?”
In early March, Green Team asked DTG recycling to partner with them on a Liberty Electronic Drive. Exceeding expectations, DTG recycling agreed, waived their recycling fee, and even offered Green Team a prize for their drive.
Starting early April, Green Team started their first Electronic Drive.
“We have taken laptops, phones, printers, headphones, batteries, cables, headphones, computers, and more,” Green Team president Jenna Rowland said.
After a long month of collecting goods, the electronic drive ended Friday, April 25.
“We ended up collecting a lot more electronics than I initially thought we would. I love this drive because it gives Liberty students an outlet to sustainably get rid of electronics, an opportunity that doesn’t often present itself,” Dingler said. “The whole point is to keep as many electronics out of the landfill as possible.”
Not only does Green Team get the satisfaction of running a great drive, they also receive a special gift from DTQ recycling: money.
“We are planning to use the money from DTG recycling to build a garden outside of Liberty,” Rowland said.
Green Team plans to grow vegetables and fruits which would then be given to the El Cafe, Liberty’s Culinary Arts restaurant, to put in their meals.
This act of giving back to Liberty through fresh food acts as a full circle moment for Green Team. The electronic drive allowing students to sustainably get rid of junk will end with the proceeds being put back into the student body through fresh food.
“We really are recycling the old to bring in the new!” Dingler said.
