Posted By: Maya Tao

I want to share an article written by Lauren Indvik from Mashable.com regarding ways of recycling used electronics. Every year, less than 20 percent of consumer electronics is collected in eco-friendly ways. Donations of used electronics are highly encouraged. Charitable recycling programs including Dell and Goodwill, the Wireless Foundation, Students Recycling Used Technology, Komputers 4 Kids and eBay Giving Work. However, a couple of steps are also recommended before taking the action, for example, clean the hard drive and donate supplementary materials.

5 Charities for Donating Your Old Electronics

Consumer electronics, a broad category that includes TVs, computers, audio devices, phones and other related devices, currently constitutes nearly 2% of the municipal solid waste stream and is steadily rising at a rate of 8% per year. According to the EPA, of the roughly 2.25 million tons of used and unwanted electronics each year, 18% is collected for recycling and roughly 82% winds up in landfills.

These are unfortunate statistics given the many useful and eco-friendly alternatives for disposing of your old electronics — not to mention tax breaks for consumers. We’ve highlighted a few of these options below, along with information about preparing your unwanted goods for donation.

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By: Billy Griffin

I would like to share a contest further proving that social media greatly influences the sustainable fashion industry and advocates the green movement.

Treehugger.com, one of the largest websites in the world and the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream, releases the nominees for the Best of Green 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards. Treehugger’s editors and writers put their heads together to name more than 170 winners across eight topics, naming the people, places, products, companies, and ideas that are pushing the green movement forward. Now, Treehugger.com invites readers to pick the cream of the crop. Through April 2, readers can vote in more than 40 prize categories across our eight main topics. The Readers’ Choice winners will be announced the week of April 12.
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By: Billy Griffin

Social Media offers designers the chance to promote their own eco-friendly fashion lines, as well as share the green methods in which they create their garments. The social media sphere as a whole offers a place for the green advocacy movement to create awareness. The sustainable fashion is not just a trend, not just hippie potato sacks and Kumbaya, but instead a wearable, fashionable and profitable permanent niche within the overall fashion industry.

websites like Ecouterre.com, an online community devoted to the future of sustainable fashion design, provides evidence that going green is not a trend. According to their mission statement, “Organic clothing, produced without toxic pesticides and dipped in low-impact dyes, is gaining popularity across the globe. In 2006, retail sales of organic cotton products reached $1.1 billion globally—85 percent higher than the year before, according to the Organic Exchange.”
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Posted By: Jared Cook

I want to share an article written by Melissa Jun Rowley from Mashable.com about social media and the resort industry.

How the Resort Industry is Using Social Media

A growing number of resort and spa destinations are spreading their wings and reaching a wider customer base via social media. With the help of social networking platforms and niche bloggers, vacation spots are broadening their branding efforts from the sand to the slopes, and connecting with potential patrons they may not have reached through traditional advertising.

Here’s a look at some of the social strategies these getaway companies are employing and what we can learn from their success.

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