You've replaced your regular light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs and purchased recycling bins. You've even organised that pile in the garage. You know the one – old plastic bags with holes in them, used cans of oil, even an old car battery. You're feeling pretty proud of yourself, until you realise, "Hey. How do I get rid of all this stuff?" And no, you can't just put
it out with the trash . . . Log onto My Waste's Web site, type in your address, select your material and you'll be presented with a list of recycling drop-off centres in your geographical area. Although My Waste’s primary function is to provide South Africans with the easiest way to recycle everything from a can to a computer, My Waste also posts original content and articles relevant to recycling and environmental experts offer advice and tips for living green. My Waste is a non-political and a non-activist initiative. My Waste's mission is to deliver information that enables people to actively contribute to sustainability, a concept the United Nations defined in 1987 as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." A further initiative to expand public awareness of the scheme is by offering the opportunity for corporate partners to display the My Waste logo on their products. In time the My Waste logo will become synonymous with recycling initiatives and help raise the overall awareness to the importance of the green movement in the future of our planet. The My Waste web site content can be broken down into various components. Recycling Information:
To find a recycling centre in your area, choose the product that you would like to recycle and type in your physical address. The site will then display a list of nearby drop off sites. These sites will usually accept a wide range of possible environmentally unfriendly materials such as e-waste or used oil, and after deposit these materials can often be recycled and reused in another form. Interactivity:
Interactivity is vitally important in maintaining a successful web site with repeat visitors. My Waste offers interactive components in the form of a regular email newsletter as well as the opportunity to upload users own ideas and stories. By registering an account with My Waste, users will be able to comment on posted articles, or submit their own drop off locations. Recycling products:
Not only are there many amazing products available in South Africa to help you recycle easier. But the range of products available that are manufactured from recycled material is growing by the day. My Waste will soon offer a catalogue of these green products at the best available prices direct to public. Articles:
Whether for research or general interest you can find a wealth of green information on the website. Articles range from detailed information on specific aspects of recycling, through to a top 10 lists of the best green products to buy for the holiday season! Summary
In your quest to "go green," you may meet many challenges. For example, those compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are great energy savers, but what happens when you need to throw one away? CFLs contain a small amount of mercury and must be disposed of properly. Guidelines for disposal and general recycling of waste can be a minefield to the average consumer. My Waste provides a wealth of information on recyclable materials, their use and disposal. As mentioned earlier, the My Waste home page features a search box where users can enter the name of the item they wish to recycle, along with their physical address; My Waste then provides a list of local recycling centres, along with guidelines, phone numbers and maps provided by Google. To further increase consumer pe*******on, My Waste also plans to offer a mobile online version for cell phones. Africa is currently the fastest growing mobile phone market in the world. Over the past five years the continent's mobile phone use has increased at an annual rate of 65 percent - twice the global average. To access My Waste from a cell phone, open the My Waste web address and you will be instantly directed to the mobile version. My Waste is a South African initiative with massive potential, first phase expansion will incorporate the whole of Africa into the scheme, followed by consolidated roll out region by region with the ultimate goal being a global version on a .com address. Get involved today and don’t forget the three pillars of sustainability: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!
