Another year, another electronic waste roundup. With the help of about one hundred volunteers and financial support from local businesses and our vendors, we collected over 150 tons of electronic waste last Saturday. The previous two events were massively successful, if somewhat hampered by their location outside our Burlington store.
Marketing manager Kali Hilke and executive assistant Kerry Westhelle did a truly fantastic job organizing this year’s event at the South Burlington high school, just down the road from our flagship store. From traffic control on Dorset Street to maticulous sorting and expedient palletizing, the event was a marvel of efficiency. Most of Small Dog’s employees turned out (the few who couldn’t make it were assigned to work in our stores that day!), and it was great to meet the other volunteers and friendly staff of WeRecycle!, the company that conducts the actual recycling.
If you subscribe to Kibbles and Bytes, our Friday newsletter, you’ve read Don’s commentary on how we measure our success as a company. It’s not just about profit for us; it’s about people and our planet. This multiple bottom lines strategy is unique in the modern business world, and we take it very seriously. Our ewaste initiative has been successful to the point that we’ve now recycled more pounds of electronics than we’ve sold!
While ewaste recycling is available all over, many of the firms responsible for the actual recycling ship the waste overseas where it’s dismantled and left in piles indefinitely. WeRecycle! signed the eStewards pledge, promising that no e-waste will end up in landfills or incinerators, be exported to developing countries, be sent to prison labor operations, and no private data will be released from recycled, but working, hard drives.
Behind the Scenes of Our Record 2009 Ewaste Collection Event
Time Lapse Video: 150 Tons of eWaste Collected in 5 Hours!
2009 eWaste Recycling Event on Flickr
When you buy a new, used, or refurbished Mac from Small Dog Electroncis, we will happily recycle your last computer setup. It’s just one more reason we’re always by your side.