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City uses Electronics Recycling Day to create mindfulness [Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas :: ](Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, TX) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) April 20--HARLINGEN -- Tons of old televisions, nonfunctioning microwaves, outdated computers and ancient copiers and printers won't find their way into the city's landfill. Area residents dropped off their old electronics equipment at the Harlingen Recycling Center on Saturday morning during the city's second Electronics Recycling Day. "We give people an opportunity to come in and responsibly recycle their electronics," said Nick Consiglio, Keep Harlingen Beautiful board president. On hand for some of the heavy lifting were cadets from Marine Military Academy. MMA Sgt. Maj. Ford Kinsley is also a board member. "We appreciate the help of MMA as our volunteer base and definitely utilize his cadets," Consiglio said. "It's a well-organized event and we want to get people in and out as quickly as possible." Cadet Julian Vandamme was volunteering for the first time. "Everything is going pretty good right now," he said. "People are bringing in computers and we got a lot of printers, cables, cords and televisions. "We'll be out here 'til 1300 (1 p.m.) and we're looking forward to receiving more as the afternoon approaches." Everything that was taken in was sorted into boxes and weighed on a scale to keep track of it all. The city of Harlingen sells all items collected. "We partner with a recycler who buys all the items," he said. Prices vary depending on per ton collected. "Electronics seem to have a shorter and shorter lifespan, so there's always going to be a need for these types of events," Consiglio said. The goal is to create mindfulness among the community about the center as well as provide information about how to responsibly recycle. Consiglio said that although volunteers were at the center for the Saturday morning event, residents can bring in electronic items to be recycled any day of the normal work week. "If you can plug it in or if it takes batteries, whether it doesn't work or if you just don't want it anymore, you can go ahead and bring that in to us," he said. The center encourages people to bring in items on a regular basis, as it helps to keep Harlingen beautiful. "We are just trying to create awareness about responsibly taking care of obsolete or unwanted electronics by recycling," he said. Keep Harlingen Beautiful uses funds from the Harlingen Recycling Center to fund beautification projects. "So any proceeds generated from the center will go right back to the city," he said. Such missions include trips to plant flowers and trees throughout the town, paint over graffiti, host recycling and environmental events and so on. "This center generates anywhere from $80,000 to about $95,000 a year currently," Consiglio said, "but it's increasing." "We are putting tens of thousands of dollars back into the community in the form of these beautification projects year after year," he said, "and it's all incremental. "The change is subtle because there is a need in our communities and I think there will be a continued progress." The center benefits from many support systems within the local community. "We have the support of the mayor, the City Commission, assistant city manager Dan Serna," he added, "and they are just tremendous partners in what we do." Consiglio said that the group also works with Parks and Recreation. The board is comprised of 13 members, all of whom are residents of the community wishing to contribute to the environmental efforts of the center in protecting Harlingen. "We're all business people who work in the community," Consiglio said. "We have teachers and educators and community leaders and thankfully our employers are allowing us to be active in these events." Consiglio, who has been a member of the board since 2007, said "it is so important for people to contribute" in these efforts. "The center used to average about $30,000 a year," he said, "so we've really come a long way. "With the unwavering support of Mayor (Chris) Boswell, the commission that we have, the community support and all our volunteers and partners, we've got a positive thing going on here and it's only going to keep growing." ___ (c)2014 Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas) Visit Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas) at www.valleymorningstar.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |