Computer Re-Cycling Business: GreenPC-Corrections Vic

Have you heard about Infoxchange Australia‘s new role for its social enterprise, GreenPC?

Sorting & Recycling Old Technology Pilot

For 10 years GreenPC has been re-manufacturing computers and laptops and making them available at low cost to health care card holders across Australia. Now, in partnership with Corrections Victoria, it will strip end-of-life technology and sort components for recycling.

Here’s what Infoxchange says about its new project:

“From a social perspective Corrections Victoria will provide people on community based orders to participate in the recycling activities. This will enable people who have got on the wrong side of the law to ‘give back’ through recycling equipment thereby contributing to a more environmentally sustainable world.

Infoxchange Executive Director, Andrew Mahar believes the GreenPC Enterprise is a win, win situation.

‘GreenPC has struggled with the growing amount of end-of-life equipment and using the labor of people on community orders will allow us to dispose of the gear in a far more environmentally friendly way and not just into landfill,’ he said.

Every year on average 35 million tonnes of electrical and electronic equipment waste are generated world-wide.

The environmental issue associated with the disposal of end-of-life computers has been increasing, as the life span of modern computers shrink. According to a 2006 study ‘Life span of a computer changed from 4-6 years in 1997 to 2 years in 2005 and is further decreasing’.

GreenPC has a strong environmental ethic, having already re-manufactured over 35,000 computers – that would have otherwise gone into landfill.

GreenPC provides opportunities to people on low incomes to gain access to an affordable computer, a strategy that helps to ensure we live in a civil and democratic society where no one is left behind in the information age.

Those that have benefited from GreenPC purchases have reported very positive experiences with their re-manufactured computers, one customer saying;

‘I had my doubts to begin with as it seemed too good to be true…. I asked suspiciously if it would be very fast and the customer service person assured me that it would be fast enough for my requirements. When I set up my PC I was pleasantly surprised that it worked really well!!!’

GreenPCs have also been at the heart of major digital inclusion projects that have seen whole communities ‘wired’ up and delivered affordable internet, training and support.

‘GreenPCs have also been responsible for reaching those who experience, or suffer from social isolation especially those living in Public housing.’ said Alby Clark, a Volunteer at the Wired Community@Collingwood computer hub.

GreenPCs can be purchased online at www.greenpc.com.au, and it is now possible for Centrelink recipients to use Centrepay as a way to pay for a GreenPC computer.”

Social enterprise ticks a lot of boxes, doesn’t it?