Make a Difference: Recycle Your Electronics with Eco-Cell at Happy Hollow

At Happy Hollow, we’re excited to announce our new initiative to make electronic device recycling easier and more impactful than ever. We’ve set up convenient drop-off sites in the Guest Services building and the Administration Office, where you can bring your old electronics during open hours. But this isn’t just about recycling—it’s about making a global impact.

Why Recycle? The Environmental and Ethical Impact

When you recycle your electronic devices with us, you’re not just keeping waste out of landfills. You’re also helping to preserve critical habitats and endangered species. Here’s why it matters:

Coltan and Its Impact

Many electronics contain a mineral called Coltan, which is refined into Tantalum. Tantalum is used to coat capacitors in electronic devices, making them energy-efficient. Coltan is primarily mined in the Congo, home to the critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla and chimpanzee. The mining operations in this region have led to a dramatic decline in wildlife populations—U.N. reports indicate a 90% decrease in the eastern lowland gorilla population over the past five years due to both mining and poaching.

The Eco-Cell Partnership 

We’ve partnered with Eco-Cell to ensure your recycled devices have a lasting positive impact. Eco-Cell is committed to:

Raising Funds for Conservation: Recycling with Eco-Cell helps generate funds for gorilla conservation efforts.

Reducing Coltan Demand: By recycling, we decrease the need for new Coltan mining, which in turn helps protect endangered species.

Preventing Toxic Waste: Eco-Cell works to keep toxic e-waste out of U.S. landfills and encourages the development of more sustainable electronics.

The Urgency of Recycling

The numbers are staggering:

• There are over 6 billion cell phones on the planet.
• Less than 20% of cell phone are recycled.
• Americans, on average, buy a new cell phone every 18 months.
• Over 130 million cell phones are discarded every year in the U.S.
• It takes over 500 pounds of raw material and 1 gigajoule of energy to create a single smartphone.
• E-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream and is also one of the most toxic.

What Can You Do?

You can make a difference by bringing your old electronics to Happy Hollow’s recycling drop-off sites. Here’s what we accept:

• Cell phones
• Smartphones
• Smartwatches
• Tablets
• GPS units
• MP3 players
• E-readers
• Digital cameras
• Chargers and adapters

Learn More about our recycling efforts and how you can contribute to a greener planet while supporting vital conservation initiatives. Together, we can turn old electronics into new hope for endangered species and a cleaner environment.

Visit us today to drop off your devices and join us in making a meaningful impact!