For the third year in a row, Vancouver’s Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) has received hundreds of used electronics from Fraser Valley REALTORS®.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board held its 2010 Tech Goes Green recycling collection on March 1 and 2. On behalf of the entire Board, a dedicated group of REALTORS® organize the event. This year, they received 51 monitors, 78 printers/faxes/scanners, 69 VCRs/DVDs/stereo components and cameras, 30 keyboards, over 75 phones and over 200 miscellaneous parts and cables.

The total haul for the ERA was over 550 items that can now be refurbished and recycled for local schools, community associations and charities. This latest collection brings FVREB’s donation total to over 2,275 items since 2008.

Christine Caldwell, chair of the Board’s technology committee and a REALTOR® with Landmark Realty in Abbotsford, says ERA and REALTORS® are a perfect fit. “We work in a profession that requires us to stay on top of technological advancements in order to best serve our clients, so it’s not surprising that our members have good quality used items to donate.

“What we didn’t expect is that we now have REALTORS® opting to upgrade their equipment sooner, as well as hanging on to their dated electronics in anticipation of this annual event because they know it benefits non-profit organizations and charities in their communities.”
 
Joanna Trebon, ERA’s operations manager, is thrilled with the now established partnership with Fraser Valley REALTORS®. “This is a superb example of corporate social responsibility and we hope it encourages like-minded industries to do the same.”

Trebon adds, “REALTORS® demonstrate that it’s not difficult to support ERA, give back to the community and be environmentally responsible. All it takes is some organization and most importantly the will to make a difference.”

ERA is a non-profit organization that collects old computers and electronics and recycles or refurbishes them for local schools, charities, not-for-profit groups, libraries, elderly homes and other community organizations. In a 2003 report, Environment Canada revealed that computers, phones, AV equipment and small household appliances account for more than 140,000 tonnes (or 4.5 kg per capita) of waste in Canadian landfills each year.