Why You Should Recycle Your Old Electronics

By Lynn Viesti Berube

Over the past decade, we’ve watched the world’s adoption of new technology grow exponentially, to a point where there are more mobile devices than people on the planet. We’re also seeing the rate at which electronics are replaced increase, driven by affordability, shorter lifespans, and a desire to have the very latest and greatest products.

While the continued investment in new technology may be good for the economy, it’s also created a massive amount of electronic waste (e-waste). Americans alone generated almost 12 million tons of electronic waste in 2014, including more than 150 million cell phones and almost 52,000 computers every year according to the EPA.  But global e-recycling rates are only around 20 percent, which means the majority of these electronics were either incinerated, dumped into massive landfills releasing pollutants into the environment, or collect dust in homes.

Aside from the impact on waste management, the environment, and health issues, recycling electronics provides a rich source of raw materials. The EPA also says that every one million recycled cell phones can produce 35,000 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of palladium.  In addition, recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by more than 3,500 homes per year.

When it’s time to recycle your cell phones or other electronics, first make sure you delete all personal information, followed by a factory reset, after taking out any removable storage cards. You should also remove any batteries, as those should be recycled separately.  You should also make sure you are using a reliable recycling service that certifies data destruction and recycles 100% of the e-waste they collect through legitimate facilities.

Just as recycled electronics can be used for materials for new products, recycled paper also have many applications. The cleaned and processed paper is used to produce many products we use every day, including toilet paper, school writing paper, masking tape, coffee filters, and many more.  Even documents with personal information can be recycled, provided they are shredded first.

Recycling electronics and paper provides a constant stream of resources that have countless uses, helps reduce the amount of junk that piles up in landfills across the globe, and reduces the environmental impact of dumping.

But, it’s hard to change old habits, and one of the key drivers in the rate of e-recycling is providing a convenient way for people to get rid of their old devices. In 2007, Connecticut was one of the first states to adopt an electronics recycling law, making it easier for residents to dispose of their old electronics.

This Saturday, June 23, The Milford Bank will be sponsoring a Shred & Electronics Recycling Event at 119 High Street, Milford, CT, from 10:00am-1:00pm (or until the truck fills up.)  Electronics recycling is free for everyone; document shredding if free for all customers of The Milford Bank, with a $5 fee for everyone else. All funds collected will be donated to Milford Food2Kids.

Staying Secure During Summer Vacation Season

By Dave Wall

As the school year comes to a close, families will be preparing for their annual summer vacations. Whether they’re heading off to a golf resort, a Caribbean island, a tour of Europe, an amusement park, or anywhere else, they’re all looking forward to some down time away from work and school to spend with their families.  Regardless of their destinations, one thing is certain – they’ll want to stay in touch with friends and family members, and many will even spend a few hours each day working.

That means they will be looking for ways to connect to the Internet, which also means there’s a good chance they’ll cross paths with hackers targeting unsuspecting vacationers. As mobile device use continues to grow, and as an increasing number of tasks can be accomplished on them, users are constantly looking for ways to connect, whether it’s to post the latest vacation photos to Facebook, pay a credit card bill, make dinner reservations, or play online games.

Cyber criminal recognize the need to stay connected and look for ways to target unsuspecting users. Vacationers can be an easy target.  They are often looking for easy access and depend on public WiFi access points to get online and, despite constant education from media and government organizations and service providers, many people aren’t careful enough when signing onto WiFi hotspots, ignoring the risks of connecting to unknown or unsecured networks, which make it very easy for hackers to intercept communications and steal sensitive data.

Often, they’ll set up open networks (access points with no password encryption) with SSIDs that appear to be legitimate networks – they might include a hotel or restaurant or some other name that sounds official – hoping to lure users onto their networks. Hackers then need only be within range of the hotspot to intercept data, or they may send users to a false landing page with a link to “register,” which actually installs malware on their devices, allowing the thieves to access any stored data, including bank account and other financial information.

Here are a few tips to help you keep your devices and sensitive data secure when you travel anywhere outside your trusted home network.

  • Never use open WiFi (those without password protected access).
  • Make sure lock screens and security are active on any devices.
  • Avoid any online shopping or other financial activity.
  • Use cash, travelers checks, or gift cards in lieu of credit cards to avoid account information being stolen, especially internationally.
  • Don’t use, accept or click on links, websites, attachments, or flash drives that could give hackers access to your devices.
  • Consider connecting through a VPN, even if you are using a secure WiFi connection. Most public access points aren’t yet using the latest encryption technology. A VPN will help protect your information even if it is intercepted.

While these guidelines may require a few extra steps when you’re getting online, they will help protect you falling victim to identity theft and subsequent fraud, which can take years to overcome. Staying informed of the latest fraud schemes and security threats can also help. Sign up for our security eNewsletter to keep yourself up to date on everything you can do to help keep you and your family safe on vacation, at home, or anywhere else you find yourself.