SMCU Money Matters - Fall 2007 - (Page 4)

member tips Free Shred Days in October You can help save the environment by participating in San Mateo Credit Union’s free shred events.* Stop by and bring your confidential paper items to be shred and recycled. This event is free for member-owners and local residents at the following locations and days. San Mateo Branch 1515 S. El Camino Real San Mateo, CA Oct. 12, 1007 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. South San Francisco Branch 150 El Camino Real South San Francisco, CA Oct. 19, 2007 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. *Dates and times are subject to change. Please check online at www.smcu.org for the most current calendar updates. Responsible and Beneficial e-Cycling That computer was amazingly advanced — until last month. That bells-and-whistles PDA seemed utterly progressive — until the upgrade was released. That MP3 player was the coolest gadget on the planet — until you saw it in lime green. As technology soars, the lifespan of electronics is falling in direct proportion. It is estimated that 500 million personal computers will be taken out of service between 2000 and 2007. That’s an enormous amount of bits, bytes and bots falling by the wayside. When you factor in all the additional unwanted cell phones, fax machines, DVD players, stereos and televisions, the numbers are staggering. Quantities aside, another major issue is that of hazardous waste. Batteries and electronics contain toxic materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium that create serious environmental problems when they end up in a landfill. So what can we do about it? Local Solutions, Global Effects Fortunately, many of our communities make recycling almost effortless. RecycleWorks, a program of San Mateo County, is an excellent resource that facilitates the disposal of virtually any item. Go to www.recycleworks.org, click on “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” You’ll automatically receive a list of nearby places that reuse, repair, and recycle the item you’ve indicated. Recycling batteries and cell phones is an easy process, since many retail stores now serve as drop-off centers for both. To find the store near you, log on to www.rbrc.org/ call2recycle/dropoff/index.php, and then enter your city and state or ZIP code. Staples office supply and furniture store has implemented a recycling program that accepts any electronics regardless of where they were purchased. There’s a fee for larger items but small accessories are recycled for free. There’s even a credit rebate for the return of empty ink cartridges. Keeping It Legal Laws and policies concerning proper ways to dispose of electronic products are rapidly evolving. Federal or state hazardous waste laws — or both — regulate end-of-life handling. To obtain specific information for this region, visit the California Integrated Waste Management Board at www.ciwmb.ca.gov/ Electronics/ReuseRecycle. Several federal laws address the safe disposal of hazardous waste, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which bans all open dumping of waste and promotes safe disposal of computers and electronics. Recycling electronics is an easier than ever before. It represents an efficient way to help the environment and to improve the quality of live — for today, and for generations to come. 4 FALL 07 http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/dropoff/index.php http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/dropoff/index.php http://www.smcu.org http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/ReuseRecycle http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/ReuseRecycle http://www.recycleworks.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SMCU Money Matters - Fall 2007

SMCU Money Matters - Fall 2007 Contents Community Connection Responsible and Beneficial e-Cycling Live a Greener Life! Motley Fool: Hybrid Cars Jean Chatzky: Reduce, Reuse and Simplify Green Investments It’s Easy Being Green

SMCU Money Matters - Fall 2007

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