Recycling Extravaganza

On Saturday, May 21, with the help of over 75 student volunteers from Lyons Township High School and 20 local businesses, the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce held its 6th annual Computer Recycling Drive.

“The event has been growing and growing each year,” said Katherine Leibforth, foundation director for the WSCC. “Last year we collected 86,000 pounds of old computers and electronics.”

This year was a little slower than in years past, but the event still managed to collect over 50,000 pounds of recyclable materials from old computers, printers, cell phones and other electronics.

“It went really well,” Leibforth said. “We loaded about five semi-truck trailers of material.”

In addition, this year’s event also included a Green Expo, highlighting local group’s recycling efforts and products at Denning Park across from LTHS’ South Campus. Participants included Go Green La Grange, a rain barrel vendor and a organic bakery.

Due to the success of the Green Expo and the recycling drive, organizers are considering holding the exposition part of the event at South Campus next year in hopes of getting even more organizations and vendors to participate.

“I think people are becoming more environmentally conscious of where these old computer parts are ending up,” Leibforth said of the event’s continued success. “I think the green movement is growing all the time.”

But not all of the computers collected will end up being recycled for parts and pieces—computers that still work were being recycled another way—by going to those who need them. This year, Aging Care Connections received a number of laptops for use in their programs.

All the computers that are going for re-use are fully cleaned of the last user's information by students in LTHS' computer programs.

“It’s really amazing what these kids are able to do,” Leibforth said of the student help in deleting the computer’s memories.

“It’s great to be able to provide these computers to [organizations] that need them.” She added.

What was once junk to some, will now get a second life.