Verizon Wireless' HopeLine Recycling Program Helps Preserve Earth's Resources

In an effort to reduce carbon footprints and encourage a more ‘green’ environment, Verizon Wireless started the HopeLine phone recycling and refurbishing program in Southern California.

Now, local residents of Southern California can support victims of domestic violence this Earth Day as well as contribute in preserving the Earth's resources by donating their old cell phones and equipment for recycling at Verizon (News - Alert) Wireless Communication Stores.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that recycling 1 million phones would save enough energy to power 185 U.S. households with electricity for one year.

The HopeLine program will help in recycling no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in and around Southern California. The program accepts wireless phones and accessories in any condition from any manufacturer for reuse and recycling. The donated phones that can be refurbished are sold for reuse and those that are not salvageable are recycled in an environmentally sound way under a zero landfill policy.

The proceeds from HopeLine are utilized to offer wireless phones to survivors of domestic violence who are rebuilding their lives or even cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness, said Verizon Wireless.

As part of the HopeLine program, Verizon Wireless will be providing its new customers, who are buying new cell phones or upgrading their cell phones, with postage-paid phone donation envelope along with the welcome package, where customers can put their old phones, batteries and/or accessories inside the envelope and put it in the mail, said the company.

Verizon Wireless said that it will be also providing collection bins and information about cell phone recycling through HopeLine at all Communications Stores in Southern California and across the country. Cell phone owners can just drop their unused cell phone or accessories in the bin and go.

Verizon Wireless is also offering online postage-paid label printing for phone donations. In case, a cell phone owner can't stop by a Verizon store, then he can simply print a postage-paid label from the Verizon Wireless Web site, adhere it to a box or envelope, seal the phone inside and send to HopeLine.

Verizon Wireless has noted other guidelines that can be used for conserving the Earth's resources such as - using a power strip for wireless phone or PDA chargers; and then making sure to switch it off when everything has been charged so "phantom" energy isn’t used. Also, the company suggests improving battery life by changing the settings of the wireless phone or PDA's backlighting and saving on paper by signing up for Verizon Wireless' paperless Green Bill.