Christine Laue
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Chris Hughes strolled through Nebraska Furniture Mart with his wife one day recently when a white ATM-like machine caught his eye.
After a sales representative explained that the machine collects old cell phones and issues NFM gift cards with their resale or recycling value, the Omaha couple returned the next day with four mobile phones.
“We basically got 22 bucks for cleaning out the junk drawer,” Hughes said.
“It really was easy and convenient,” said his wife, Alaina.
Nebraska Furniture Mart is the first store in the nation to test the EcoATM, a machine that collects old cell phones for reuse or recycling.
EcoATM, the San Diego company that makes the machines, started testing it at the store on Sept. 21. The trial concludes Oct. 21. The company will use findings from the pilot program to finalize the process and product. The machine is expected to return to the Mart early next year as part of a national rollout.
nebugeater wrote:.. and you will probably get a gift card worth $2.39 !!!!!
More then I get with my normal electronics recycling.... They usually get crushed with a hammer in my driveway and thrown in to the trash!
This is definitely a step in the right direction for Omaha and the environment- plus it's giving you a couple of bucks.
Just as a side note- it is REALLY bad for the environment to throw away electronics, especially things like cell phones, laptops, TVs, etc. The heavy metals and other toxins that are in them can leach into ground water and cause all sorts of problems. Recycling electronics is pretty easy to do- Best Buy has a recycling program- information is available at: http://www.bestbuy.com/recycling and for small items like cell phones there is a place to drop them off right at the door. Verizon accepts cell phones from any carrier, and Lowe's has a bin for recycling dead rechargeable batteries.
Also, most women's shelters have programs for old cell phones. They give them to the women so they can make emergency calls in case ex-hubby/boyfriend shows up.
Big E wrote:Also, most women's shelters have programs for old cell phones. They give them to the women so they can make emergency calls in case ex-hubby/boyfriend shows up.
