Want to do your bit to help keep the earth clean, but am not too sure on how to go about it after recycling all that you could possibly think of - ranging from plastic bags to old newspapers and aluminum tin cans? Take a look at your desk for the moment and check out just how many gizmos and electronics that you aren’t using anymore, not to mention those that will soon enter the obsolete phase as your ever roving eye catches a glimpse of all the other desirable gadgets that we have here on Coolest Gadgets. Verizon Wireless aims to help you do your bit where old cellphones are concerned this November 15th, which is actually America Recycles Day.

Being the first wireless carrier to take up this task (since 1999!), this recycling effort will take off first in New York and New Jersey, to be followed by the rest of the US. In the meantime, Verizon Wireless has some tips to help you remain ‘green’ while saving money, and possibly, somebody else’s life. According to Verizon, both consumers and businesses will be able to kick off their recycling initiative involving old and discarded cellphones via the Verizon Wireless HopeLine program. This program is unique as it doesn’t discriminate against the condition, manufacturer and service provider in which your unwanted handset and its accessories come in - all you need to do is drop off your phone, battery and accessories at any Verizon Wireless Communications store and the company will dispose of them in an environmentally sound way.

The efforts of HopeLine to date has achieved the following statistics:

Kept more than 200 tons of electronics waste and batteries out of landfills

Collected nearly 4.2 million wireless phones

Properly disposed of nearly 1 million wireless phones

And in cooperation with Call2Recycle recycled more than 170,000 pounds of batteries

Verizon Wireless has donated over $4 million in cash grants as well as more than 45,000 phones with airtime to domestic violence prevention organizations

Press Release