photo credit: Gaetan Lee

While transporter rooms have yet to become a part of our daily mode of transportation, there is one item from “Star Trek” tech that has become a popular consumer electronics staple. The portable “hand held communicator” that was used by the crew of the Starship Enterprise, has made its way to our planet in the form of a cell phone. Weaving the technology into the fabric of our society took some time. The first handheld cell phone commercially available to the US market was the Motorola DynaTAC, way back in 1983. The cost to own a DynaTAC was around four thousand dollars. The calling plan was a whopping one dollar per minute. This made the cell phone cost prohibitive to most of the general public. Only those with financial means could afford to own it. It took more than a decade, but like most things in the technological arena, phone prices finally dropped and the cell phone emerged. It was smaller and more portable then it’s first cousin the DynaTAC.

Cell towers started to sprang up all over the country, and calling plan prices when from dollars to cents per minute. Communication for the masses was finally born. Today, it is hard to find anyone who is not chatting on their cell phone, or has a wireless blue-tooth headpiece attached to their ear like a “Borg” appendage. Along with this explosion of communication technology came new products and support services like cell phone covers, calling cards, ring-tones, ear pieces, camera phones, text messaging and Internet access. Just about any function you can perform on your home computer can now be done on a cell phone that weighs less than a pound. While both cell phones and accessories are entering the consumer market at a rapid pace, new models will replace old, and today’s hot new accessories will end up in tomorrow’s landfill. Cell phones and accessory devices, including headsets and batteries, provide new opportunities for a variety of green business models to emerge.

It is estimated that there are over 20 million used cell phones in households across America. While some cell phone service providers and manufacturers are championing recycling efforts, a savvy
Entrepreneur might be able to find a niche in the cell phone recycling business. The main key to success in the cell phone recycling business revolves around acquisition. Some people throw their cell phones in the trash. Most, are just forgotten, winding up in cabinets, closets, and designated junk draws of households throughout America. The general public, for the most part, is still unaware that their old cell phones can be recycled. In some areas of the country, used cell phone recycling efforts are not as prevalent or as well known as cardboard and aluminum can reclamation. Performing your due diligence and setting up cell phone collection stations within heavily trafficked locations within your state or local community is one way to make the general public aware of your recycling efforts. There are several trade groups can provide you with market research, as well as support material to help you set up collection stations.

One such organization is The International Association For Wireless Communication, (Ctia.org). Ctia.org provides position papers and articles pertaining to how used cell phones are collected for recycling. Use the search feature on their homepage and type in the keyword phrase “recycle”. RecyclewirelessPhones.org is another organization dedicated to helping individuals and businesses start a cell phone recycling business. After you have done your research and set up a number of used cell phone drop off stations, the next step is to find a profitable sales outlet for your merchandise. The good news is that you don’t have to set up a website or sell your phones on Ebay to make money (unless of course you want to). With the proliferation of wireless communication in everyday life and new models replacing old ones, some recycling companies are now specializing in buying new and used cell phones. GRC Recycling (Grcrecycling.com) is just one company that pays for new and used cell phones. GRC will pay anywhere from fifty cents to thirty dollars depending on the make, model, and condition of the cell phone you have to offer.

Recellular (Recellular.com), and Ecophones (Ecophones.com), are two additional companies that are similar to GRC Recycling. Ecophones.com will also pay for used laptops, camcorders, and other electronics items. In addition to buying your used electronic merchandise, both Ecophones and GRC Recycling offer advice and counsel for profit and non-profit businesses who want to set up used cell phone collection stations. Free sources of education about the used cell phone industry can be found at Cell For Cash (CellForCash.com). They offer a free downloadable eBook for all consumers and businesses interested in collecting and selling used cell phones as a full or part-time business. If you are thinking about getting involved with a business that has the potential for profits while keeping the landfills cleaner, and the planet greener, then the used cell phone recycling is the business opportunity for you.

Did you know that the average person spends at least a month or more searching the Internet for products that they can buy, and then resell? Most, give up trying to find wholesale suppliers after only a few days. Are you frustrated by the search for products to sell? The Ultimate Guide To Products For Resale has over 600 wholesale and surplus supply sources in 12 different popular product categories.

http://www.productsforresale.com

photo credit: Victorrjr

How does a business manage to go green while saving money? This article explains how everyone from small businesses to corporate giants can cut costs and save resources, while promoting the environment.

A big reason why many businesses, especially small businesses, aren’t promoting the environment is that they simply don’t realize how simple and cost-effective it is to do. But there are actually steps one can take to reduce his or her company’s carbon footprint that require little effort or cost. The following list will describe how creating a green office environment can benefit a business tremendously.

Fax Online: There is a wealth of information about the personal and environmental costs of using traditional methods of fax. Fax machines are costly devices, requiring paper and toner refills, as well as maintenance. They are also major contributors to energy waste.

However, new bridge technologies like Internet fax are making it easier for businesses to transition from fax machines to email transmission of documents. Internet fax companies archive your fax documents, send and re-send those documents at your request, and eliminate junk faxes and spam, which saves paper and toner. This service results in significant savings for a business.

In addition to online fax, use an online PBX service, which routes calls to home offices or cell phones. You won’t need to buy any new hardware or replace hardware in the future.

Institute an Electronic Recycling Policy: As more and more people are moving towards a virtual office, more outdated hardware begins to pile up in offices. Always make sure that you call companies, such as Dell, whose products can be taken back and recycled for free. Also, take old electronics to Goodwill, which maintains a new recycling partnership with Dell. You can write it off on your taxes.

Also, depending on which state you live in, your company may be able to receive additional tax benefits from various recycling initiatives. Research online to see which benefits may be available for you and your company.

Buy Energy-Saving Equipment: Consider buying EnergyStar equipment, which is usually low-cost and low-energy consuming. Also, try to use InkJet printers over laser ones, which consume much more energy.

Hire an Environmental Specialist: If your business has the resources, you should hire someone or pay part of your staff to maintain a green office and enforce rules and procedures related to saving energy, paper, and other resources.

While it sounds like it may cost more, it will actually save you much more in the long run. You’ll have lower utility bills, lower monthly expenses, and an opportunity to save your revenue for bigger and better things.

For additional information regarding internet fax services and other virtual office services, visit http://www.faxcompare.com

Zilker Ventures, LLC is a web publisher that consolidates information and reviews various business and financial products.

Contact:

Jennifer Silva

Zilker Ventures, LLC

(512) 448-9031

Jennifer Silva has researched the latest business products and services on the market today. She has written reviews on various websites and articles about improving business practices and office environments. She writes to uncover the truth about what’s on the market now. Her interests include the programmed, categorized and easily referenced.