DoSomething.org, Best Buy, Energy Star Partner With Teens

DoSomething.org, Best Buy and the EPA’s Energy Star program are offering prizes to young people who run local e-waste collection drives in their communities. Photo: DoSomething.org

This fall, teenagers across America can help solve the country’s e-waste problem.

DoSomething.org, Best Buy and the EPA’s Energy Star program are teaming up to help young people run local e-waste collection drives in their schools, homes or communities and to drop off the collected e-waste at their local Best Buy store.

Launched yesterday, the E-Waste Drive campaign runs through Oct. 1 and aims to increase recycling of the more than 1.5 million tons of e-waste Americans throw away each year.

“This campaign really gives young people passionate about the environment the power to rock social change and make a difference among their peers in their very own communities,” said Nancy Lublin, CEO of DoSomething.org, a nonprofit that promotes volunteerism among teenagers.

Teens organizing drives with the most e-waste collected, best promotion and biggest impact on their community will be rewarded with prizes from DoSomething.org and Best Buy. The top 10 teams will win $100 worth of Best Buy gift cards, while the grand prize is a $500 educational grant for each team member behind the drive that collects the most e-waste.

The campaign also encourages teens to look for the Energy Star label when buying new electronics to make sure they purchase the most energy-efficient model.

“We want to make sure young people know that it’s not only what you do to properly dispose of an old electronic, it’s also the choices you make when looking for a new one,” said Jill Vohr, EPA team lead of Energy Star products marketing.