Earth Day 2020 :: Doing Our Part for Climate Change
/The enormous challenges — but also the vast opportunities — of acting on climate change have distinguished the issue as the most pressing topic for the 50th anniversary. Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable.
At the end of 2020, nations will be expected to increase their national commitments to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The time is now for citizens to call for greater global ambition to tackle our climate crisis. Unless every country in the world steps up – and steps up with urgency and ambition — we are consigning current and future generations to a dangerous future.
Earth Day 2020 will be far more than a day. It must be a historic moment when citizens of the world rise up in a united call for the creativity, innovation, ambition, and bravery that we need to meet our climate crisis and seize the enormous opportunities of a zero-carbon future.
-earthday.org 2020 Statement on This Year’s Theme: Climate Change
As a nonprofit tech organization, we are acutely aware of how our day to day business practices can negatively or positively impact the environment around us. Unfortunately, when e-waste is disposed of improperly, like in burn piles or stockyards, the chemicals released have a long term impact on air quality and toxins in the soil, as well as immediate effects on the people working and living in direct proximity to the disposed of tech.
Reducing e-waste through ethical practices like refurbishing technology and e-recycling are two ways that we’re taking steps towards a zero-carbon future.
How We’re Reducing E-Waste
When businesses donate their IT assets to our organization, our team inventories and sorts every piece of equipment received into three categories:
Refurbish - Technology that can be refurbished for nonprofits, schools, computer labs, our digital literacy program, and for individuals who wouldn’t otherwise not be able to access technology.
Redistribute - Technology that we can’t refurbish but is still useful is sold as surplus. The revenue generated from these sales goes directly back into the communities we serve both here in Milwaukee and worldwide.
Recycle - Technology that we can’t refurbish or resell is deemed recyclable. It is sent to one of our partner agencies who are e-stewards of recycling, promoting and practicing ethical and zero-carbon way to dispose of IT assets.
Do Your Part for Climate Change
We all have a role to play in climate change and working towards a zero-carbon future. If you want to get involved with the work that we’re doing, here’s some more information on how to do so:
Businesses/Corporate Donors - For information on how to recycle and donate your used technology, click here.
