A flyer posted at our office's cafeteria caught my attention because of the caption that read "Recycle My Cellphone". It pointed to an organization named CollectiveGood which recycles cellphones and give them second life by donating them to charities. I visited their website and saw  a staggering number of cellphones being thrown away in the US alone. To quote:

"Mobile phones and other mobile devices (pagers, PDAs) present a growing threat to the environment. As of 2003, there are more than 500 million mobile phones waiting to be recycled in the US; either in drawers, or already in the waste stream. Another 100 million or so will be added this year and even more next year. Once in the waste stream, these devices may leak Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic and other toxic substances into the water supply. Municipalities often incinerate their waste, instantly putting these toxic elements into the air, and they return to earth in rain water. Since life on Earth depends on water, the threat is clear."

And I thought how it is so different in the Philippines. Cellphones being trashed? That will be the day. Unwanted cellphones will always have a buyer or a grateful recipient. To use the cliche "one man's trash is another man's treasure." The cellphone I have now? I have my 6 year old nephew Jude to thank for. He inherited it from my sister, which was handed down by her husband and was borrowed by my brother before he left for the US. My brother and his wife got their own phones that is why this red phone ended up in my lap errr...hands. My 4 year old phone in the Philippines is still being used by my other brother. I guess it is pretty much the same way with other filipino families back there.

And yes, Jude tells his mom that he misses his cellphone. So I guess it's time for my brother-in-law to get himself a newer model *wink, wink.*

Ina Gets Maggie's Letter

An excerpt from my mom's email to me today:

"i just got a call from ina who excitedly told me that she received maggie's letter with a picture. when i asked her what maggie looked like, ina said, "like my doll." then she proceeded to read the letter on the phone. i told her to show maggie's letter to her teacher."

I wrote about my 8 year old niece Ina and Tom's niece Maggie (same age) exchanging snail mails in this entry.

Currently listening to: Michelle Branch/Santana's "I'm Feeling You"
Currently reading: Catherine Coulter's "Midsummer's Magic"
Currently watching: The Verdict (Paul Newman)