[Castlegar] It’s a time-honoured tradition with a twist. Along with the usual fund-raising activities at Beaks, there is a new way to raise money that benefits the environment as well. Beaks is tackling the growing problem of electronic waste and literally turning trash into cash.

Beaks is joining Think Recycle, a program which gathers old print cartridges, cell phones and digital camera These items are exchanged for money, which then can be used to care for and rehabilitate injured birds from all over the Kootenays. Greentec, the company behind Think Recycle, collects, processes and recycles the cartridges and cell phones in Canada, diverting the electronic waste from local landfill sites.

“We are just thrilled about this fund-raising program,” says Janice Kelley, a director with Beaks. “Together with our on-going collection of refundable bottles and cans, Beaks protects the environment by reducing the amount of trash going to the dump, and fund-raises at the same time.”

Over 300 million empty print cartridges are generated in North America every year. That’s 900,000,000 pounds of waste that can potentially end up in a landfill. The Think Recycle program has diverted more than one million cartridges from landfills already.

“With our new recycling program, not only do you help Beaks raise money for birdcare, but you directly protect the environment and do a good thing,” says Kelley.

The public can drop off printer cartridges, old cell phones and digital cameras at KelPrint, Curves or Dragonflies and Fairy Dust as well as at Beaks in Castlegar. Valu Office Supplies in Trail is also collecting these items for Beaks.

In addition to giving money for used printer cartridges and cell phones, Greentec also donates one tree to Tree Canada for every 24 qualifying cell phones or cartridges that Beaks returns.

Beaks, the only wild bird rehabilitation centre in the Kootenays, has been operating since 1971. It became a charitable, non-profit organization in 1998 and is recognized for its outstanding work saving the lives of birds and returning them to the wild.

For more information, please contact:

Beaks

250-365-3701

beaks@beaks.ca