Youth organization benefits from recycled cell phones
The City of Airdrie and local business eCycle Solutions Inc. will be donating funds to a youth organization this year through the 2013 Old Phones = New Hope program.
The Friends of 88 Squadron Society, a registered charity, will give the money to the 88 Airdrie Lynx Air Cadet squadron, a military-based program for youth ages 12 to 18.
“We are ecstatic to have been chosen,” said Kathy Ruck of the 75-member 88 Airdrie Lynx Air Cadet squadron.
According to Ruck, the money will be used towards the squadron’s programming, including range, flying, educational trips, citizenship and community and personal development opportunities.
This is the second year of the Old Phones = New Hope program, with last year’s recipient, the Airdrie Food Bank, receiving $533.
The program began in November 2011 and is a partnership between Airdrie’s waste and recycling services department and eCycle Solutions.
Old cell phones can be dropped off at the Eastside Recycle Depot and eCycle will donate $1 from every phone.
“Lots of people have old cell phones and don’t know what to do with them,” said Susan Grimm, team leader of Airdrie Waste & Recycling Services. “Dropping them off at the Eastside Recycle Depot is an easy solution and it’s for a good cause.”
According to Shawn Searle of eCycle Solutions, more than 98 per cent of a cell phone’s components can be recycled.
“That is a huge environmental impact,” said Searle. “There are no issues with any pollutants getting into our air, soil or water. We are actually reusing the components, in many cases, to create new electronic devices.”
Searle said the air cadet squadron were chosen to receive the donation because they made a bid to the partnership.
“eCycle has always been a community-oriented business,” said Searle. “Not only are we helping employ people in Airdrie, we also like to give back because it’s the right thing. We live there and we work there so we want to be give back to the community.”
Searle encourages residents to drop off any unwanted cell phones they may have at home.
“Proceeds do go towards the Airdrie air cadets and that is obviously important,” he said. “We are helping the kids learn a whole bunch of skill sets.”
The 88 Airdrie Lynx Air Cadet squadron meets every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Ecole Airdrie Middle School. The organization is open to youth ages 12 to 18.
For more information, visit www.airdrieaircadets.ca
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