Georgia Magazine - January 2012 - (Page 34f)

Web exclusive Three W Spring is a good time for a house safety check hen the last traces of winter fade away, many homeowners can’t wait to begin tinkering around the house. Georgia’s electric cooperatives urge all ambitious home improvers to heed these guidelines: Fundamentals easy steps to dispose of office electronics safely • One of the first places to look for trouble is the roof. Watch for loose or missing shingles and leaks around flashings. Don’t begin repair work unless you’re confident of your do-it-yourself abilities. Think about calling a professional. • Be sure to inspect your gutters before April showers begin. If they are clogged, rainwater will overflow onto the siding of your house and could cause moisture problems. Downspouts should carry rainwater safely away from the foundation of the house. If they pour water out on the ground, it could seep into the basement. • If your exterior paint job appears healthy, but it’s just a little dirty, don’t apply a fresh coat. If all your home needs is a cleaning, wash it. • A special reminder to parents: Never leave a container of liquid unattended near a small child. This includes wading pools, scrub buckets, toilets and bathtubs. The curious youngster can lean over to play in the water or drop something in a bucket and fall in head first. • Be sure patios, porches and driveways are free from cracks and holes. • Check for damage as you take down storm windows and put up screen doors and windows. • Trim broken tree limbs and prune shrubs. Remove dry leaves and debris from under porches, wooden stairs and window wells. Pick up all junk, cans and other litter. ting into anyone else’s hands, the most secure way of isposing of outdated office computers, printers and destroying the data is to remove and physically destroy copiers the right way is not only important for the hard drive. protecting the environment, but it also staves off the Copiers and printers: Copiers and printers have efforts of data thieves. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) explains the three steps necessary for small-busi- internal hard drives that save digital copies of the documents they have printed. Consult the manual to find out ness owners to dispose of old office equipment safely how to wipe the memory; you can also use third-party and securely. software to overwrite the hard drive. The most secure Electronics contain toxic poisons such as lead, merway of erasing data is to physically cury and cadmium. If tossed into a destroy the hard drive—as long as you landfill, they will eventually leak out don’t lease the product. If you lease, and pollute the soil and water. consult with the company on how your According to the U.S. Environmental data will be erased. Protection Agency (EPA), 1.84 million Mobile phones: Consult the tons of TVs, computers, Inventory the inside printers, cellowner’s manual or search online for phones and other electronics were • Clean off stairways and steps. Check treads, directions on how to wipe the phone’s dumped into landfills in 2007. Only risers and carpeting 18 and replace worn coverings. • Inspect were recycled memory. Remove the SIM card, if your phone has one. percent of discarded electronics your air-conditioning sys-that year. tem and have repairs made now, Step 3: Dispose properly However, the EPA notes that e-cycling is growing in before summer begins. Give the fireplace thorough cleaning and When it comes to actually getting rid of outdated popularity, perhaps because ofthe adamper. Consider calling mandatory programs in close office electronics, there are many options, depending on some states. a chimney sweep. the item’s condition, the retailer, the manufacturer and, in “When tossing old electronics, you need to considSprinkler systems can security concerns,” some cases, state law. Following are the main disposal er both the environmental and data save lives says Fred T. Elsberry Jr., president and CEO that has a sprinkler system.methods to consider: of the BBB ost fire departments urge homeowners to install choose one sprinkler systems in new homes, or when Donate: Schools, charities and community organiserving metro Atlanta, Athens they Northeast Georgia. and If you’re remodeling your home, remodel their existing homes. Fire spreads so quickly add a system. that you could have as little as two minutes to copiers not only contain The sprinkler system zations can use your electronics—such as computer “Computers, cellphones and escape before it’s too late. A fire sprinkler system can buy you is installed behind your equipment, phones, copiers and printers—as long as toxic chemicals that can pollute the walls, similar to environment, but a few more minutes. When it senses a fire, a wealth of information and they are in working condition. Your donation may even they also containthe sprinkler system auto- plumbing,thatisdata matically sprays water on the flames. Only the sprinconnected to your be tax deductible. thieves would love to kler closest to the fire will spray. get their hands on.” home’s water supThe National Fire Protection Association estimates Recycle: Many companies across the country break BBB of deaths in residentialtaking be pre- ply. A plumberensure that recommends fires can these should doto steps the that 90 percent vented by sprinklers. Ifand data-sensitive office equipment is disinstallation. down and recycle old electronics for free. They usually all hazardous you’re buying a new home, have drop-off locations, or you may even be able to posed of in the right way: March 2011 schedule a pickup if you have many heavy items. To Step 1: Identify hazardous and data-sensitive locate a BBB-accredited e-cycler, visit www.bbb.org/us/ electronics bbb-accredited-businesses. Many states also offer e-cyclThe following office equipment contains toxic ing programs. A list of state programs is available on the materials or sensitive data and should be recycled EPA’s website: www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ ecy responsibly, not just tossed into the garbage: cling/live.htm • Computer CPUs Return: Some manufacturers, including Apple, and • Mobile phones even retailers, such as Best Buy and Costco, provide • Copiers, printers and fax machines “take-back” programs to help customers recycle their old • Monitors, keyboards, speakers and mice products safely and cheaply. Every major cellphone carri• Landline phones er will also take your old cellphone and donate it to a • Computer cables and wires charity or have it disposed of properly. The EPA has a • TVs, VCRs, DVRs and stereos list of manufacturer and retailer programs at www.epa. Step 2: Destroy sensitive data gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm. While most electronics have toxic components, Resell: While this option is more labor intensive, some also contain sensitive business information you may be able to make a little money selling your stored in the product’s hard drive. Ensure that any electronics through auction websites or online classifieds. data has been erased before getting rid of the followBe wary if any buyers overpay or ask you to wire ing electronics: money for any reason. Computers: You can purchase inexpensive softFor more small-business advice on how to manage ware to wipe a computer’s hard drive, but the data data, check out “Data Security—Made Simpler” at www. could still be retrievable to a determined person. If you have extremely sensitive information you don’t want get- bbb.org/data-security. D M 34F January 2012 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://www.bbb.org/us/bbb-accredited-businesses http://www.bbb.org/us/bbb-accredited-businesses http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/live.htm http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/live.htm http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm http://www.bbb.org/data-security http://www.bbb.org/data-security http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - January 2012

Georgia Magazine - January 2012
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Georgia News
Picture This?
Calendar of Events
Currents
Special Energy Report
What It Takes to Be a Roller Girl
A Nation Reunited
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Georgia Cooks
More “big” eateries and recipes
Snapshot
Bonus Snapshot submissions
Gardens plant of the month; Liberty notes
More roller derby photos
Festivals in Fitzgerald and Washington
January energy-effi ciency tips

Georgia Magazine - January 2012