iPhones, iPods, iPads & Smartphones
Here at Causes
International, we pride ourselves on the fact that we accept 60,000+ items for
donation. 60,000 is a big number! So, we’re starting a new series here on the
CI blog, called 60,000 ways to give! This series will go through every category
of what we take, giving you a brief overview and an example. I’m excited, this
should be fun!
The thing with
electronics is that new versions are coming out all of the time. You buy the
newest iPhone or iPad, and within months Apple announces their
"newest" model is in the works. What! So, staying connected with the
latest and greatest, you upgrade and you put another device in your drawer to
sit idle soon to be forgotten. Let’s face it, that happens to everyone.
I, personally, had my
first 4 phones sitting in a drawer and I am only 16! Why? Don’t ask me, I
have no idea. Before starting at Causes, if I was to get rid of them,
what I would do is chuck them in the trash can and call it a day. Now,
after learning about the harm they do to the environment, I Upcycle them.
Upcycling keeps them out of landfills, plus it raises money for a cause
that I’m passionate about. What isn’t there to love about that?
Here’s the catch with
Upcycling those electronics to your favorite cause. Yes, there are 60,000+
electronics that can be donated, BUT not everything can be
donated. So, the next few posts are going to go through everything
that we do take, just to make the whole process easier for
everyone. Okay? Awesome! Let’s start with iPhones, iPods, iPads &
Smartphones.
iPhones
Lets' face it, if you
started buying iPhones you either got the iPhone bug or have moved on to other
Smartphones. Well if you are an iPhone buyer then this is really easy,
because we take every single iPhone. Yes, even the oldest 1-2G iPhones we take.
The 1st Generation iPhone that’s, more or less, in good
condition, has a donation value of $22. The 3G which with the new iPhone
5 coming out next month will be 5 generations old has a $51 donation value!
The values only go up from there. Even if your phones have a
smashed face, as long as they power on they still have donation value and are
worth something, and that something is still
helping out a cause.
iPods
With iPods, we take
the iPod Touch, Mini, Classic, Video, Nano, and Shuffle. When I started camp in
7th grade my green iPod Nano was attached to my hip. It was
bright pink with 8GB and I loved it! I went nowhere without it! So, let’s
take a look at the 4th Generation 8G Nano. If it powers on, the
display isn’t cracked, the buttons and audio jack are working, and the back
plate is dented, it’s worth $20.00. What! An iPod from at least 4 years ago,
that you haven’t touched in ages, is worth $20.00! You’re getting it off of
your hands, at no cost to you, and that money is still going towards a cause
and it is 100% tax deductible! That $20.00 is making a difference!
iPads
For iPads, we take
the original iPad, second generation, and third generation iPads. Let’s look
original iPad, 32 GB + Wifi shall we? If there are no cracks in the front, the
back is not dented/scratched, power still works, all of the buttons still work,
the wifi still works, the audio jack works, it isn’t engraved and doesn’t have
the original box, it’s worth $150! That’s the original iPad,now
if it had dead spots and a cracked display and it was cracked and chipped on
the back it is still worth $80.00! How cool! Can you imagine what a
fully functional iPad with wifi AND 3G would be worth? And, you’re doing a good
deed because it’s all going to a cause. That’s pretty awesome, if I do say so
myself.
Smartphones
Smartphones are a
broader subject than the iProducts. There are more types of Smartphones out
there, so which ones do we take? We take Samsung smartphones, HTC smartphones,
Blackberries, Motorola’s, Nokia’s, Sony Ericcson, Palm smartphones, and others
too! That’s a lot of phone carriers, yes indeed. For at least a year, one of my
friends used the Sony Ericsson X10 Xperia in white and I was absolutely
astounded by it. If it powers on, the screen is not chipped/cracked,
still fully functional, the buttons work, and there’s no evidence of water
damage, it’s worth $25.80. If the screen is cracked it is still worth
$12.90. The phone is a few years old already and still has decent
donation value.
That about wraps it
up for the first edition of 60,000 ways to give. Next time you’re cleaning your
house, look out for any Smartphones, or iProducts that may be lying around.
They can make a true difference in helping others and definitely help change the
world.
Coming Up
Next: Calculators, Tablets & E-Readers, and GPS!
Stay Green,
Ashley
