Thanks to a Sun reader, we were alerted Thursday morning to 25 or 30 computer monitors dumped in a trash bin outside Naperville's Ranch View Elementary School.
Once we checked it out and verified the presence of the discarded computer materials, we wondered: If the monitors couldn't be donated to anyone, shouldn't they at least be recycled?
It turns out -- and we want to thank District 203 officials for being very helpful and straightforward in getting to the bottom of this -- that someone else likely illegally placed the materials in the school's Dumpster, a practice known as "fly dumping."
We saw this as an opportunity to inform people that because electronics equipment usually contains lead and other hazardous materials, it shouldn't be tossed in the trash. It should be recycled and kept out of landfills.
What do you do with your old electronics gear? Are there enough electronics recycling opportunities in the area to make it convenient for people to properly dispose of materials?
I just dump my old electronics and paint in the trash, that's why it's called trash.
RJ,
Surely you know if you stoop to the same level and tactics as other then you are actually going to end up no better than they? Surely you know if you fight fire with fire the fire will only grow and not be extinguished?
Surely you can rise above this knowing others are not blind to what you are seeing? The choice is whether or not you choose to get baited into a personal argument or choose to impersonally discuss an issue. Remember the old saying?... if you fight with a pig you both will end up getting dirty, plus the pig will enjoy it!
Anon, I don't see where it is a derogatory insult to all women, just the female Napergatians. For that matter, it really isn't any more derogatory than being called loser, lowlife, stupid, more than stupid, etc. by them, now is it? The Napergatian women by far are the worse when it comes to derogatory statements. They really have issues with men, especially ones who don't agree with them.
'Let's face it, the label of "Napergatian" has been so overused, misused, and spread about on Potluck that it no longer serves much practical or useful purpose."
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Did it ever serve much practical or useful purpose?
RJ,
Is this the best post you could come up with... an childish, derogatory insult to all women?
Do you really think you and your attitude is any better than anyone who might actually be a "Napergatian"? The part you and others can't seem to differentiate is that the vast majority of the people accused of being a "Napergatian" aren't. And for certain all Napergatians are not women.
Let's face it, the label of "Napergatian" has been so overused, misused, and spread about on Potluck that it no longer serves much practical or useful purpose.
Try Chicago Computers located in the shopping center between Rickert & 75th Street in Naperville. Just this week I dropped off an old computer, which they eagerly accepted.
http://chicagocomputers.com/recycling.html
By anon on June 14, 2008 5:20 PM
What are you all talking about?
Can anyone just stick to topic for ONCE?
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Not possible with the Napergatians. They think the only way to get the tin foil and Kool Aid spread about is through these blogs. Get used to it, if Ted put a thread up pertaining to the cost of tampons, these women would some how turn it back into being the City's fault because of police pensions and salaries.
The last few years there has been a big electronics recycling drive in Naperville. This year it was held on June 7 at Naperville North High School. It was publicized in the paper. The Indian Prairie School District also included information on it in an email sent to those who have subscribed to updates from the district.
Info was on the city website at the following link
http://www.naperville.il.us/reuserecycle.aspx
I am sure they'll have another one in the next year.
The following link has information on different places where you can donate/recycle electronics. http://www.eiae.org/recycler/index.php?state=IL
I found that site simply by typing "electronics recycling" into Google. From there I was able to find a list for Illinois only.
Look in the yellow pages for computer recyclers. I dropped off a bunch of old electronics equipment at this place in Lombard on Roosevelt and Main street, northwest corner.
They charge you for certain items particularly old CRT screens. But it is the responsible thing to do.
What are you all talking about?
Can anyone just stick to topic for ONCE?
I just want to find out where I can recycle my electronics, geez.
What does a freelancer mean, Host Ted! Does it means he is not paid or paid by the Sun as an independent contractor instead of as an employee? Or is he paid by the mother newspaper?
How about other columnists?
I always wondered why your columnists don't help you with investigative reporting.
In the Chicago Sun-Times, your mother newspaper, the columnists are always ripping State Pensions.
Is there something that keeps Tim West from trying to help keep the City of Naperville accountable in some way, fashion or form???
I just don't think one guy like you can keep tabs on City Hall! It really is a very big job! I wish the Chicago Sun-Times would have left Mr. Jim Lynch to give you a hand! With all your new duties, I don't understand how you can have time for your Watchdog Duties!
Ted,
Perhaps you should recruit someone that seems to have the right attitude and credibility like Bill Mego to give you a hand on the boards.
I believe Mr. Mego is fully capable of differentiating slander from free-speech which he apparently loves.
He also seems very capable in the area of differentiating important issues from noise.
Unless I missed something, Mr. Mego is also free from any relationships that would be viewed as compromising him in the eyes of many of your posters.
Response from Ted:
Thanks for trying, but Bill's a freelancer. I don't think the company would let an independent contractor have access to the internal controls for this forum.
We're in the midst of a restructuring on Fox Valley Publications. We'll be sorting things out in the weeks and months ahead, streamlining operations to improve efficiency. Eventually we'll identify a staff member who can help out, once other production-related duties are sorted out.
Hopefully the police department can help the school district identify who these monitor's belong to and who made the decision to dump them like this.
This is another example of an expense being placed on our schools, thus the taxpayers that isn't rightfully theirs to pay.
What is really ironic is that just last weekend there was a large recycling event at NN and all of those monitors could have been taken there and properly disposed.
Yesterday I read a report associated with the iPhone that claimed we are now producing 1 billion cell phones every year. 1 billion year after year and that is just cell phones. Add on to that all of the other electronic gear and it doesn't take long before even the staunchest conservative realizes that we need to find more effective, more efficient, and more cost effective ways to manage our electronic discards.
One of the solutions must be to find ways to increase the longevity of electronic products. Today consumers regard cell phones and a lot of other devices as disposable; something to be replaced as casually as a plastic fork at their next meal. Consumers need to learn to change their attitudes and manufacturers need to work hard at increasing the life cycle of electronic products.
I am looking forward to an answer about recycling the computer monitors. I have one but have no where to bring it. Goodwill no longer takes old computer gear.
The Sun should examine the results of all of the City's refuse removal programs; there may be room for improvement.
STANDARD GARBAGE REMOVAL:
The large cans on wheels were supposed to become mandatory and did not.
They save time, which means less fuel for the trucks. Since the City backed off on this one; we again have properties that have reverted to putting out food waste in plastic bags the night before. I assume that the residents get off on watching the garbage collection guys pick it up out of the street after the animals have scattered it. There is always plenty that stays on the ground until the wind blows it into someone else's yard. Except for the chicken bones and pizza slices they just stay in the street until they rot or the birds eat it.
RECYCLING:
As an experiment, we started recycling everything that was easy, this turned out to be 75% to 85% of what we were putting in the trash. The City should implement mandatory blue recycling bins on wheels which would also cut down on the diesel bill. The city makes money selling the recycling, so maybe this is one program that could cut tax bills.
METALS AND COMPUTER GEAR:
I believe that the city recently banned most of the scavengers that formerly collected all of this stuff from working in Naperville. A very few vendors were allowed to get one of the “special licenses”. This system is always a high-potential source of kick-backs and corruption. In the state were I was born, you had to fill a shopping bag with cash and drive it down to the State Capitol to get you beer or liquor license. The State restricted the number of licenses, a huge money maker for politicians and Rezko’s of the world.
The adjacent state went the other way; anyone that met the requirements got a license. No wide-scale corruption ever reported and wine and liquor turned out to be $1 or $2 cheaper on any bottle. This was mostly due to the hidden-tax imposed by the kick-back schemes.
Metals (and computer equipment) that were formerly removed by the scavengers now sit on the curb after garbage collection or go to the dump. What a waste!
The crack Naperville police department should be on the case to solve!!!!!!