There’s no going back. We live in a world that’s tuned in, turned on and wirelessly connected! We acrue gear- the Wii, the iPhone, the iPod, the remote control(s), the television, the DVD player, the computer, the printer, the fax machine (ok, that was just to check to see if you’re still with me) and the list goes on. And not because we want to- although, let’s admit it, we really do- but because this is our reality. It’s not a generational thing anymore either. My 69 year old father-in-law is as tech savvy as anyone I know. And when they stop working for us, just in time for Steve Jobs to unveil his newest gadget, how many of us recycle these used electronics? Recylcing our bottles and newspapers has become second nature, but most of us still haven’t figured out how to  effectively (easily?) recycle our other belongings. Now, at least, there are sites like MyGreenElectronics. MyGreenElectronics encourages the 4 R’s of responsible consumerism- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Rethink! The site also provides links to corporate recycling programs (so you’ll know where to send that HP Printer that bites the dust!). Increasingly, corporate recycling programs aren’t limited to electronics. Last week, we were lucky enough to have someone from Patagonia come in and talk to us about their garment recylcing program. Patagonia is an amazing company, and it has long been a leader on issues of sustainability and environmental stewardship. In 2005, Patagonia launched its Common Threads Recycling Program, through which customers could return their worn out Capilene baselayers for recycling. Patagonia has added fleece, Polartec fleece and cotton t-shirts to the list of recyclables. The long-term goal, according their site, is to make its entire catalog recyclable.

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