Happy New Year!

It’s the time of year that we run around wishing each other happiness for the new year. I love this custom because it’s one of the dates in the season of many religious holidays that I think that we can all agree upon.

When I say Happy New Year to you, I am truly hoping that the coming year is filled with things that bring you happiness…like health, family, friends, prosperity, fun, laughter, and any other thing that will lighten your load and make your life more enjoyable.

Another thing that I like about this time of year is that we all seem to refocus our efforts on attaining goals. Commonly referred to as New Year’s Resolutions, many of us set lofty goals that we’d like to achieve in the coming year, like losing weight, quitting smoking, saving money and so on. Most of us don’t make it to 100% completion of those resolutions, but in my mind, it’s the setting of goals and setting out to achieve them that is at least as important as achieving them. The simple act of setting a goal underscores the need for some change. Even if we don’t complete the goal, we have raised our own awareness of the need for change. That raised awareness often stays with us, and over time we eventually do get to that place of change. Not always, but as I look back over my life, I see that when I have set goals and moved towards them, I was able to eventually effect change.

So, all of this is a preamble to what I wanted to talk about today. Some of your goals might include upgrading your technology tools. And good for you if you do. New tools almost always bring greater productivity, increased efficiency or some other positive benefit.

But they also come with a downside. And that downside is the fact that a new tool often causes the retirement of an older one. In the past, the old equipment was tossed into the trash without another thought. Today, we are painfully aware that that older technology tools often contain hazardous waste. Tossing these items into the trash will introduce hazardous waste in the environment. Not only is that harmful to the environment, it may also be illegal!

There is a solution that the State of California has provided (Other states and countries may have similar resources in place …try a Google search on e-waste and the name of your community) at http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/electronics/Collection/RecyclerSearch.aspx

This site will let you determine if what you have is classified as e-waste and if it is, it will help you locate a way to properly dispose of the waste. When I checked for a local facility in my County that I could use to dispose of batteries, I found 7, one of which was within walking distance of my office! That pretty much removes the objection of inconvenience doesn’t it?

So here’s the deal. Let’s all resolve to upgrade our tools this year, but more importantly, let’s properly dispose of the old ones.

Happy New Year!