Recycle your phone to save wildlife

By MiNDFOOD

Recycle your phone to save wildlife
We're being asked to recycle our mobile phones to reduce deforestation and threats to great apes and other wildlife.

“Most people don’t realise that our appetite for the latest and greatest in technological gadgets is contributing to the rampant destruction of Africa’s forests. The old phones littering our junk-drawers and the new phones in our pockets contain minerals mined from forests like those in the Congo Basin, a practice that is destroying the habitats of chimpanzees and other endangered apes,” says the Jane Goodall Institute.

That’s why the group has jumped on board with Call to Action, a new international campaign encouraging people to responsibly recycle these technologies.

Launching on January 27, 2015 as JGI’s first International Day for Mobile Phone Recycling, Call to Action aims to raise awareness about how such actions can help promote conservation of critical forest habitats in the Congo Basin where chimpanzees and other great apes live.

After the holidays and the start of a new year — occasions during which many mobile phones and other electronic devices are given as gifts – so JGI believes it’s the perfect time to bring our attention to the importance of recycling our old mobile phones.

“Sometimes people don’t understand how terribly, terribly important it is to recycle old mobile phones. There are hundreds of thousands of them just lying around. Their abundance in our lives is leading to the destruction of the rainforest, the deaths of chimpanzees and other wildlife, as well as immense hardship for people. So please, recycle your used mobile phones. It really will make a difference,” Dr. Jane Goodall says.

World renowned for its efforts to protect chimpanzees and their habitats, JGI’s campaign to mobilise the collection of unused mobile phones directly connects with the organisation’s mission. Many of the metals and minerals used in these technologies are extracted from mines located in previously forested chimpanzee habitats across the Congo Basin.

Citizens around the world can take part in JGI’s Call to Action by gathering used electronics — especially mobile phones ― and sending them to one of JGI’s recycling partners. With one simple action, participants are helping protect chimpanzees – along with other endangered species – and the forests they call home.

For more information visit, www.mobilerecyclingday.org or search using the hashtag #Call2Action15.

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