If you're in the
United States, here's an easier, and more direct, way to recycle your old phone.
Call to Protect is a
charity funded by Motorola which provides old mobile phones to women who are victims of domestic
violence. Phone companies donate the
airtime, while the phones come from
donations from the company or from private citizens. So far, about 30,000 have been
collected.
Cell phones are very useful for victims of
domestic violence so that they feel they have a
lifeline to turn to whenever they're in danger. When a woman runs away from her home in the heat of a
conflict for fear of her life, she can use her phone to call for help. Sometimes it just enables the
confidence neccesary to take a
stand.
I know a lot of people with old
phones stashed away in a drawer, products of upgrades to smaller and
shinier models. Here's a way to do some
good, and save lives.
Until July 31st, you can just drop it off at the nearest
Radio Shack. You could mail it here:
CALL to PROTECT
c/o Motorola
1580 E. Ellsworth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
or go
here to find a dropoff
location near you: http://www.wirelessfoundation.org/12give/where.cfm