By By RANDI K. PICKLEY / Niles Daily Star
In this electronic age, our society is inundated with "technology waste."
Items like televisions, cell phones, copy machines, and, of course, out-dated computers that have become obsolete, are the latest version of "litter."
Two area organizations have found a way to recycle those leftover items and have scheduled an Electronics Recycling Event which will be available to the public.
On Saturday from noon until 4 p.m., local residents will be able to drop off their obsolete electronic items at Lowe's parking lot in Niles. Large items that will be accepted include computers, televisions, and copy machines while smaller items will include cell phones. A donation of $10 is requested for the larger items. For smaller items, any size of contribution will be welcomed.
This project is being sponsored by the Homeschool Hub of Niles in conjunction with Computers For All, an organization headed by Charles and Lori Green of Elkhart, Ind.
The Homeschool Hub is an information resource center from Niles that promotes homeschooling and provides support to homeschool families. Kathy Joyce, chairperson of the board of directors for the Hub, is enthusiastic about the services the center offers to the Niles community.
The resource center is located at 220 E. Main St. in downtown Niles and offers classes for homeschooled children such as robotics, choir, and orchestra. An afternoon Spanish class is also being planned beginning in March. In addition, the organization puts together a newsletter which is sent to other homeschool support groups to help keep families informed of services and events that might concern them. The center also offers its members free space in the center's building to hold group meetings or special events at no charge.
Volunteers help man the center. Kathy and Dan Joyce's son, Scott, is one of the volunteers. "Homeschooling saves you so much time and gives you freedom of scheduling," Scott said. "I am very happy" about receiving this scholastic honor. It has served the Buchanan family well, since it was recently announced that Scott is a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Scott's older brother, Jeff, is a former Merit Scholarship winner as well.
After hearing about an organization that donates recycled computers to non-profit organizations, Scott's mom, teamed up with Lori Green who, with husband Charles Green, runs Computers For All. They wanted to create an opportunity for area residents to bring in their out-dated or unusable computers.
The event will be held on Saturday, March 5 in the parking lot of the Niles Lowe's store which is located at 2055 S. 11th St.
Once the computers, tvs, and other goods are received, Computers For All donates about two thirds of the computers to the needy and to non-profit organizations. The purpose is two fold: first, it prevents pollution of the environment by keeping hazardous materials out of landfills or homes and second, it provides much needed resources to local people and organizations who are in need of current computer upgrades or equipment.
One current project of Computers For All is to send mobile computers to Sri Lanka to aid the tsunami victims. Recycled American computers which have been donated will also be installed in tour buses in Sri Lanka since tour buses are in little use now that tourism is currently at an all time low in that region.
The purpose of Saturday's event is not only to give Michiana residents a convenient place to dispose of their electronic waste, but also to help keep landfills and the environment safe from hazardous wastes such as lead, mercury, and cadmium which many of our electronic items contain.
Lead is harmful to people, especially children. It can cause brain damage, mental retardation, behavior problems, anemia, liver and kidney damage, hearing loss, hyperactivity, developmental delays, and in extreme cases, death.
Exposure to mercury typically comes from inhaling mercury vapors and can cause severe neurological and kidney damage.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management currently lists televisions and computers as the most hazardous landfill wastes, so it is beneficial to homeowners to find a safe place to deposit their unused electronic equipment. The Homestead Hub and Computers For All is giving them a convenient way to do just that and help serve others in the process.