While I was participating in the Living Smart SA course one of the things I was committed to was getting rid of the e-waste I had at home. It had just accumulated and needed to go. In October I managed to collect the e-waste into one spot in my garage. That was a big effort in itself. I had to find all the e-waste stashed around the house and then move it outside. I felt really pleased with that part of it. The course then finished, life went on, we had Christmas, then New Year and now it was May and I still had not moved it. I tried to get it all picked up. There was less an a ute load and less than 15 minutes work. For me, I cannot carry CRT monitors easily , nor microwaves, so my first effort of getting it all in one place had been significant. Once this lot is all gone, then it will not be a problem. It won’t build up as it did with all the changes in technology and it won’t weigh as much because new technology is much lighter and less cumbersome. The quotes for removing it were $100-$130 . That’s $400-$520 an hour. I had been in the wrong job! It means I have had to wait and do some more planning. Older people go away , are sick or cannot carry things easily. Younger people are working long shifts most days and need a break. I feel pretty proud of myself that that I completely filled the boot of my car up with the smaller stuff. I had a microwave which was heavy . The rest was straight forward. It’s gone. Advanced Recycling Technologies took all the stuff and unloaded it for me. They were helpful, nice and right near the ocean! Great views. I have to wait now for help with 3 CRT monitors and 2 heavy microwaves. I can then say I met that commitment and it was my one and only promise to myself at New Year – that I would do something about my e-waste. I feel so relieved now I have done the right thing and so happy. A.R.T is part of the Unplug’n’Drop programme where a number of sites across Australia will now take electronic waste and seek to repair and repurpose rather just sent to recycling or landfill.
