Pakai, pictured, was created by local artist Luis Varela-Rico using donated electronics to help raise awareness about e-waste.
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 2 a.m.
Powered by Goodwill of Southern Nevada
At times, the concept of living sustainably can seem daunting. What exactly does living sustainably mean? How does it affect my lifestyle? While the umbrella of sustainable living is broad, small adjustments can create large-scale change as more individuals strive to become eco-conscious. One of the most convenient paths to sustainability is in how you dispose of unneeded and unused objects in your home. Consider this guide as you reflect on Earth Day—and plan your spring-cleaning routine.
How to recycle (basically) anything
Republic Services will allow you to recycle everyday paper, carboard, glass bottles/jars, hard plastic and metal cans with curbside pickup. Never put food waste, soiled or wet carboard, or bottles with liquid in the general recycling. Everything should be empty, clean and dry. If you’re not sure if you can recycle an item, check online first, and when in doubt, throw it out. One item not within Republic Service’s guidelines can contaminate the entire truck.
Recycling tips
Use trash bags for trash only, and put recyclables loosely in the bin. Plastic bags, including most trash bags and ones from the supermarket, cannot be recycled. Do not include items such as batteries, lightbulbs, clothing, toys and electronics.
How to dispose of items that curbside recycling programs cannot take
Batteries and lightbulbs: Republic Services offers a mail-back recycling program for some hard-to-recycle items such as batteries and lightbulbs. Request a pre-paid, pre-addressed box online.
Clothing, toys, household objects: Most can be donated to a local nonprofit to extend their lifespan and bring joy to others. Donating also ensures they won’t end up in a landfill.
Electronics and appliances: Some usable electronics and appliances can be donated and resold, depending on their condition, while other unworking electronics can be recycled. Whether for donating or recycling, Goodwill will securely erase all data from the device and ensure that the valuable metal materials will be reused. They will also recycle cords, keyboards and anything that plugs in.
Food waste: While food waste can’t be recycled in the traditional sense, it can be composted to create fertilizer for your plants.
What about e-waste?
By the numbers
More than 320,000 pounds of electronics were collected and recycled in 2022
32.8 million pounds. Total weight of goods Goodwill diverted from local landfills in 2022
6,288. Number of individuals who received free career services from Goodwill Career Coaches in 2022
The short lifespan of electronics means they often end up in landfills, which threatens the environment and wastes materials that can be reused. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the world produces as much as 50 million tons of electronic and electrical waste each year, and only 20% of it is formally recycled. The annual e-waste produced is estimated to be worth more than $62.5 billion, and there is 100 times more gold in one ton of e-waste than in a ton of gold ore, as gold is most frequently used in RAM chips. Further, e-waste in landfill poses a much higher environmental risk than most of the other objects that are found in landfill.
Donate a bright future
When you donate to your local Goodwill, it’s not only good for the environment but also for the community. Retail store proceeds go to help fund job training programs, extended learning classes and more, strengthening the workforce and creating jobs for those in need.
