The Jane Goodall Institute has launched The Forest is Calling global campaign to unite mobile reuse and recycling efforts by our offices around the world on February 26th, 2019 - JGI's International Mobile Recycling Day.
Together we'll be asking you and others from across the globe to help protect endangered chimpanzees, gorillas, and their habitat by using your existing mobile phone for longer and recycling it when it has reached the end of its useful life.
Why is it important?
Mobile phones contain minerals such as gold, cobalt, tungsten, tin, and coltan. Mining for these minerals in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo drives illegal bushmeat hunting, destroys crucial chimpanzee and gorilla habitat, and has been the cause of human conflict.
By 2020 it’s estimated that 3.6 billion smartphones will be in circulation worldwide. With an average lifespan of 2 years before upgrade or replacement, the number of unwanted devices potentially entering the waste stream has and will continue to grow dramatically.
However, 99% of materials can be recovered when mobile devices are recycled.
Recycling old and unwanted devices can both reduce the need for new minerals to be mined and help raise funds to support JGI’s work to protect endangered chimpanzees and gorillas in EDRC.
In addition to recycling old and unwanted devices, buying a secondhand device or extending your phone's lifespan beyond the average of two years will also help reduce the pressure of mining on ape populations.
What can you do?
On February 26th, 2019 JGI offices around the world will be coming together to celebrate our International Mobile Phone Recycling Day. You can get involved by pledging to keep your device for longer or recycle it between February 26th – March 26th, 2019.
All phones donated will be data wiped and either refurbished and resold by our reuse partner PhoneCycle or dismantled and recycled by our recycling partner MobileMuster. These organisations will then donate the money raised to JGIA, which will be used to support the work of Dr Jane Goodall by funding our conservation programs in EDRC.
Recycling your unwanted devices can both reduce the need for mining in crucial great ape habitat and help raise funds to support JGI’s work to protect chimps and gorillas
Extending your phone's lifespan will help reduce the pressure of mining on ape populations
The collective action of all of us extending the life of our phones and recycling them when they have reached the end of their useful life will have a greater impact on lessening the amount of waste being produced and the amount of new mineral ore that needs to be mined. Keeping these minerals in the ground will help protect endangered great apes and their habitats.
Contact recycle@janegoodall.org.au for questions about our campaign.
Help us inspire actions that connect people with animals and our shared environment.
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