Recycle your mobile to feed an Australian in need
We all have one – a little rough around the edges, not as cool as they used to be, or maybe you’ve upgraded to the latest model, they are simply old, broken and unwanted. We’re talking about mobile phones, millions in fact.
Around Australia there are almost five million old mobile phones that are no longer working, along with their chargers and accessories, begging to be lifted out of the junk drawer and be put to better use, which is exactly what Australians can do this summer.
MobileMuster, a government-accredited not-for-profit mobile phone recycling program, and OzHarvest have teamed up to give Australians a reason to recycle their old phones – for every mobile recycled this summer they will deliver a meal to someone in need.
The Mobile for a Meal campaign returns for its second year after a hugely successful recycling drive last summer, where 60,000 meals were delivered as a result of people recycling their old mobiles. This year the program is aiming to recycle 70,000 phones and deliver 70,000 meals to those in need.
“It is one of those beautiful win-win situations where no one wants these old phones – you can’t use them, or sell them, they are quite literally useless – but if we recycle them over 99 percent of the material can go back into making new products. In return, we will deliver a meal to someone in need,” says Spyro Kalos, recycling manager, MobileMuster.
“It’s important to remember that mobile phones are not biodegradable, and they contain substances and materials that can potentially harm the environment.
“And it’s very easy to recycle your old mobile phone when it comes to the end of its life as there are over 3500 public collection points around Australia,” says Kalos.
OzHarvest’s founder Ronni Kahn says the demand for food is on the rise. “There are now more than 3.6 million people experiencing food insecurity each year. At OzHarvest we are doing our best to deliver good, nutritious food to people in need, but many agencies say they could take double to keep up with demand. With as little as $1 we can deliver two meals, so make sure you give your old mobile a new purpose.”
Getting involved in the Mobile for a Meal campaign is simple:
- Go to mobilemuster.com.au and find your nearest place to recycle
- Drop off your mobile along with any chargers and accessories into the MobileMuster recycling unit
- Or download a reply-paid label from the MobileMuster website and post it back for free
- Make sure you recycle before the end of February 2018 to be a part of Mobile for a Meal.
“When you recycle let us know by posting a photo of you and your old mobile on Facebook or Instagram, then use the hashtag #mobileforameal so all your friends can also get involved and do some good this summer,” concludes Kalos.
For more information and terms and conditions, visit www.mobilemuster.com.au and to read the terms and conditions.
Read more of CWS’s coverage of MobileMuster here.
Images courtesy of The Bravery.
