In the market for change: Green4Good helps companies reduce waste

The new iPhone 5 is out now, which makes me a little bit sad. Some may call it jealousy, others, iPhone envy. I call it “impossible to keep up with all the new versions!” It’s not just iPhones – you buy a nice new car in 2012 and the 2013 model is already out; you’re excited about your new super thin, super lightweight computer, only to find out that there’s a thinner and lighter one coming out next month.  So what is the fate for all of these out-of-date gadgets? Green4Good has a found a solution.

When an entire company ditches its hardware to upgrade, Green4Good has an alternative to stuffing a storage closet full of obsolete technology, or – even worse – tossing it in a dumpster.  You can see a video of the process by clicking here, but it goes a little something like this:
Green4Good will go to your business to evaluate equipment; based on age, brand, and model, they will calculate how much your old technology is worth, and donate that money to the charity of your choice.    They then take everything away to a secure facility to determine if the items will be recycled or cleared of all data (extremely securely) and refurbished.
According to Green4Good, between May 2011 and May 2012 the program raised over $350,000 for charities, diverted 45,000 IT items from landfills, saving companies over $1 million in costs related to disposing of old technology!
WWF recently benefited from this innovative company when RSA, one of our strategic partners, decommissioned many of their IT assets. This turned into a donation of more than $4,000 to our conservation work!  “At RSA we are committed to doing the right thing, and we are pleased to share that through the Green4Good program, we have diverted over 3,700 computer units and peripherals from landfills in just over two years,” says George Semeczko, Chief Technology Officer, Information Services at RSA.  That is a lot of space saved in our landfills.  Marilyn Parry, Asset Management Analyst at RSA adds, “It’s a great feeling to know that our efforts result in additional donated funds that will assist our partnership with WWF as we continue working together to share expertise and better understand links between environmental and insurance risks.”
Even though I won’t be ditching my recently-purchased iPhone 4 anytime soon – or my laptop, TV, or DVD player, for that matter – at least I know who to call when it’s time to say goodbye.  If you’re looking for ways to green your office, waste reduction is a great place to start! Check out WWF’s Living Planet @ Work to sign up for free tools and resources to engage employees. You’ll also find more examples of companies like RSA that are committed to reducing their waste footprint, and like Green4Good that are providing unique opportunities to contribute to conservation!