When my cell phone died last week, I ordered this one, the Rumor LG in green.  Eco-ness aside, green happens to be my favorite color, so why not?  I considered a Blackberry and several others, but since I really just wanted an actual keyboard so that I could quickly type text messages and reply to emails and the ability to snap a picture as needed, I couldn’t justify the cost when this one was much cheaper and could also do those things. 

When it arrived the very next day after I placed the order I was intrigued by the Good to be Green slogan plastered all over the recycled box, the user guide and the ‘Welcome To Sprint’ pamphlet.  What was so green about it other than the color?  For starters, the box is made of post-consumer waste recyclable materials.  The tray inside the box in which everything was nestled is recyclable and stamped with a NCFB (non-corregated fiberboard) recycled logo and the plastic bag that contained the cell phone charger is made of HDPE (#2) plastic, which can be recycled as well. 

What’s really great is the postage-paid, pre-addressed plastic envelope bag that comes inside.  This is to send back my old cell phone in to recycle it.  In 2002 Sprint created Project Connect, a wireless recycling program to help millions of cell phones from ending up in landfills.  Sprint donates the net proceeds from your recycled phone to the National Center For Missing & Exploited Children, the NEA Health Information Network, and others to educate parents, guardians, teachers and kids about internet safety through the 4NetSafety program. 

Sprint Recycling + Sustainability Effforts: 

-Sprint Project Connect was one of the first nationwide wireless phone recycling programs.

-Since its inception, Sprint Project Connect has raised more than $4 million for charitable programs.

-Since 2001, Sprint has collected more than seven million used wireless phones and kept those phones out of the waste stream through Sprint Project Connect and other equipment collection efforts including Sprint Buyback, a program that gives Sprint customers account credit for returning eligible phones.

-In addition to in-store recycling efforts with Sprint Project Connect, Sprint also conducts separate wireless phone recycling drives with Keep America Beautiful, NFL Charities, and Victory Junction Gang Camp.

-Wireless phones donated to Sprint Project Connect are either refurbished and resold or recycled with 100 percent of the net proceeds going to support Internet safety for kids.

-Phones designated for recycling are handled in an environmentally sound manner in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations.

-Sprint is a proud partner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Plug-In To eCycling program.

-Sprint is a participating member of “Wireless… The New Recyclable” an industry program designed to provide consumers with information about the importance and ease of recycling wireless devices.