HCC/Red Cross put your old phones to new use
Get a new phone recently? Something high-tech, high powered, and high cost that makes your old phone an obsolete junk hunk? Well, good for you; being able to afford such nice things on a college student’s budget. But what about that old obsolete phone we just talked about? What will become of it? Are you going to just toss it in the trash, where it can rot all sorts of chemicals and acids into the Earth? So many questions, but HCC has an answer: Cell Phone Recycling.
This March, Hillsborough Community College partnered with The American Red Cross to aid them in their fund-raising needs through a Cell Phone Recycling program. Cell phone recycling is a great way to assist Red Cross Tampa Bay while getting rid of your old phones in a socially responsible and environmentally conscious manner. Any phone, no matter what condition it is in, will be accepted; just drop off your phone at the designated location at any campus.
Yes, they’ll even take this.Photo by vintagemobilephones.com
If you choose to donate your phone, it will go on to a wide range of different uses; depending on what condition it is in. If your phone is functional and still commands a market value (such as an iPhone 4), then it will be sold and the proceeds will go to The American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter. If your phone is functional but no longer holds a market value (like a Motorola Razr or even a Motorola Dynasty), then it will be sent to a women’s shelter or an elderly-care facility to be used for 911 call capabilities. If your phone is not functional (read that as “busted brick of plastic”, and include as many swear words as you deem appropriate), then it is designated as scrap and will be recycled for its precious metals and other recoverables. This program is environmentally compliant and 100% Green.
The American Red Cross uses a machine called ZeroIT Data Erasure system to destroy all electronic data, so you don’t have to worry about any private information (contacts, late night texts, etc.) getting into the hands of total strangers; The machine is used and approved by the Department of Defense to erase high priority classified data.
So, what’s in it for you? The American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter will give a certificate to those who donate to the cause. If you would like proof of donation, contact Maginda Montero at mmontero3@hccfl.edu or (813) 253-7119. What’s more, you also have the simple satisfaction of knowing your phone will be going to good work and helping others who might otherwise get no help. And, of course, that old phone will be out of your hair and not cluttering up your space. In a world where a new iPhone or Droid seems to be coming out every six months, the new partnership between HCC and the American Red Cross is ecological, economical, and inspiring.