In honor of Earth Day, April 22, UScellular encourages people to keep their old electronic devices out of landfills and is providing incentives to do so. Customers can get up to $500 when they trade in qualified smartphones online or in-store or easily recycle them at any UScellular location. The company also offers Goldsboro customers tips on how they can be more environmentally aware for Earth Day and every day.

Environmental Protection Agency statistics show that for every million cell phones that are recycled, 35,274 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered. This prevents these materials from ending up in local landfills and polluting local ground water supplies. In 2020, 220,000 devices were recycled responsibly through UScellular’s Trade-In and Recycling programs. As a result, 99,000 pounds of e-waste was diverted from landfills, and 280,500,000 gallons of water pollution was avoided.

“Mobile devices have become an integral tool in helping us simplify and enhance our lives, while also allowing us to take actionable steps to help our environment, said Jeremy Taylor, UScellular director of sales in eastern North Carolina. “Additionally, our associates make it safe and easy to recycle used devices from any carrier in an environmentally friendly and responsible way.”

While recycling or trading in old devices is one way to be green, there are other ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle with the help of your smartphone. For Earth Day, and any day, UScellular offers tips to help take care of the environment.

• Have fun (and get rewarded) by going greener.
  • Recyclebank.com provides actionable tips and advice. Plus, users get rewarded with points to get discounts at local businesses and exclusive deals on sustainable goods.
  • The fun JouleBug app also provides valuable information about how to make changes to your everyday habits at home, work, and play to be more environmentally friendly. You can compete with friends in eco-challenges and even join local community and national challenges virtually in 2021.
• Recycle more easily. RecycleNation is a location-based app that provides users directions to local recycling centers, hours of operation, as well as a list of materials accepted for recycling. The app also allows users to track their recycling progress and quantify their effect on the environment.
• Share your treasures. The Freecycle app allows people to give away their unwanted but reusable stuff to people in their local community. Users post items to give away or make requests for items on this convenient app. Keep in mind COVID-19 guidelines for no contact porch pick-up or other contactless transfers.
• Shop local: Want to be able to find locally grown and fresh foods year-round? Look for apps such as Farmer’s Market U.S. that locates farmer’s markets closest to you and provides listings for products sold and hours of operation. Or try the SimplyLocal-Farmers Market app that helps locate produce, local beef and poultry farms that sell directly to consumers in the Goldsboro area.
• Go paperless – According to a study by the PayItGreen Alliance, the average American household could save 6.6 pounds of paper, 24 square feet of forest, 63 gallons of water, and 4.5 gallons of fuel per year by choosing electronic bills, statements and payments. Many companies, UScellular included, offer easy online bill management along with access to past statements, saving people time while helping the environment.