Other Things I can do

Keep your cell phone from becoming an environmental hazard.

Don't Throw Away a Good Opportunity
Having that cell phone is handy for ordering up a pizza, checking in with your best friend, or catching a ride home. But there's more to it than just a fun design on the faceplate and a cool sounding ring.

Actually, cell phones and their batteries contain toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other health disorders in people and wildlife. When people get rid of their old phones, these end up in landfills or incinerators, where they can escape into the air, soil, and water and affect the environment. People are just tossing their old phones in the trash: Reports estimate that 130 million cell phones will be thrown away in the United States each year by 2005—that's about 65,000 tons of waste, the equivalent of 21 medium—sized cars.

Make the Call
You don't have to give up your cell phone or pledge never to have one. As one of the 128 million subscribers in the United States, you can help make a difference by:

	Keeping your phone, which is a good start. The average phone gets thrown out after just 18 months as people upgrade or just switch colors.
	Helping a good cause rather than pitching your phone. A number of charities collect old phones, fix them if they're broken, and put them to good use in other ways.
	Recycling the battery properly if you're replacing it. Check with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation by visiting www.rbrc.org or calling 1—800—8—BATTERY to find out where to drop off the battery.
	Encouraging cell phone companies to make more environmentally friendly phones. Write a letter, send an email, make a phone call—whatever it takes to make sure you're heard.
	Letting other people know about the issue so they aren't doing any harm, too. You can help others recycle their batteries or donate their phones to charity, or you might help them realize that it helps the environment by hanging onto a phone.

The best thing you can do is keep your cell phone as long as possible. No matter when you buy it, companies will keep adding new features. It's impossible to keep up. Choose a phone that will do what you need it to do and stick with it as long as you can.