Big Sky Recycling, a company dedicated to reducing e-waste, announces that it has partnered with One Tree Planted, a tree-planting charity, to launch a donation-based program that plants a tree for every cell phone that is recycled. The program will help to keep cell phones out of landfills, and plant trees, representing an innovative two-pronged approach to benefit the environment.
By harnessing the power of cell phones, Big Sky Recycling is dedicated to reducing e-waste, and as a Certified B Corporation, is legally required to use their profits to create a positive impact for their employees, communities and the environment. This partnership aims to treat social and environmental impact as their key measure of success, which is a goal of both organizations.
The program fits seamlessly into Big Sky Recycling’s collection process. When requesting a shipping label to recycle a phone, One Tree planted will be available as a charity to accompany the request. Then for each cell phone that is donated to the program, One Tree will honor it by planting a tree via local partner organizations and community volunteers in areas where there has been deforestation, from the Peruvian Amazon to forests closer to home.
The average household in the US has 28 electronic devices, many of which are simply cast aside and collecting dust. Big Sky Recycling aims to make use of the 87.5% of e-waste which is not recycled each year. Planting trees is one of the best ways to combat the damaging effects of climate change. Trees help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and provide habitat to over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. They also provide tremendous social impacts by providing jobs to over 1.6 billion people, empowering women in underdeveloped nations, and supporting communities devastated by environmental damage.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to work with Big Sky Recycling on such an impactful project,” said One Tree Planted founder and Chief Environmental Evangelist, Matt Hill. “We admire the company’s commitment to planting a tree for every recycled device. It’s a prime example of how any business can make a positive change for our planet.”
“Since launching our cell phone recycling program, One Tree Planted has been one of our favorite charities to support” said Big Sky Recycling’s founder, Wesley Poritz. “Partnering with them is a great opportunity to increase the environmental impact of our recycling efforts.”