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E-Waste Recycle Day
Wild Rose
Congregational Church
Evergreen, CO
United Church of Christ
As members of Wild Rose Congregational Church
brainstormed about seemingly different things -- a
mission fundraiser, community-building, raising
awareness about hazardous components of electronic
equipment -- they stumbled upon an innovative,
fun, and successful new project: E-Waste Recycle
Day!
Excitement building, every church member helped
with the project in some way. The larger community
joined the fun as well. Though Wild Rose Congregational
Church initiated the project, the Rotary Club
and Mountain Recyclers soon signed on to help.
Tri-R Recycling of Denver, Colorado, offered a reduced
fee to carry away the collected goods to recycle.
Bruce Glenn, the project coordinator, works with
both of these groups in his volunteer activities.
Having a joint project brought all of us together
for the first time.
On May 1, 2004, volunteers stood ready at the
Excel Energy Building in Evergreen. By the end
of the day, they had collected 250 computers,
260 monitors, and 250 peripherals. This amounts
to over two tons of lead being diverted from the
local landfill! "It was thrilling to know
that we were helping so many people to make room
in there lives for something more productive and
keeping truckloads of hazardous materials out
of the dump at the same time!" exclaims Michelle
Chapman, member of Wild Rose Congregational.
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While people
dropped off their electronics for recycling, volunteers
handed out brochures about the variety of recycling
options in the Evergreen area. Participants were
grateful for the service, some bringing truck
loads of old computer equipment. Others, previously
unaware that electronics could not just be thrown
in normal trash pick-up, were thankful to learn
how to properly and safely dispose of their equipment.
Wild Rose members felt the effort was a success,
that all of the original goals of their brainstorming
had been met. Wild Rose Minister Ann Bolson says,
“Seeing the mounting piles of computer stuff
gave us all a great sense of the impact we -- small
as we are -- can have on our community.”
While Wild Rose Congregational Church has participated
in other environmental projects such as Removal
of Noxious Weeds Day in Evergreen, and selling
fair trade coffee at the Evergreen Earth Day Fair,
members feel that this E-Waste Recycle Day had
the greatest impact on the wider community—and
on the environment! Chapman explains, "God's
home must be preserved and protected for future
generations. E-waste recycling is an important
part of that responsibility."
Contact:
Wild Rose Congregational Church
U.C.C.
P.O. Box 3633
Evergreen, CO 80437
Telephone: 303-670-0775
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