It’s Saturday morning in mid-June with just a bit of overcast to shade us from the hot California sun. A few of the team members here at NeweggBusiness, some with their families, are spending the day volunteering at Huntington State Beach. Before taking to the sands of Huntington, Ranger Elizabeth Bailey from California State Parks and Recreation describes the different types of pollution that we’ll encounter on the coast. Cigarette butts, plastic coat hangers, bottle caps; tiny pieces of plastic scattered like confetti across the beach. These plastic materials take up to 10 years to biodegrade. Styrofoam trash never does.
These types of pollutants hurt coastal areas, and have a tangible financial impact across the region. Each year, beach visitors spend over $10 billion in California, and closures cut into this valuable part the regional economy. On an ecological level, dead zones, otherwise known as hypoxic zones, are enhanced by human activity in the area, and deplete the supply of oxygen and nutrients that healthy marine life needs.
A staggering amount of waste enters the ocean each year. An island twice the size of Texas comprised entirely of solid garbage is breaking apart and washing back on shore, polluting coastal habitats like this one. This opportunity for us to clean up Huntington State Beach is an eye opening experience, and made me realize how much trash we leave behind. I hope that our efforts today leave an example for others to understand how the effects can impact where we live. It is gratifying to take responsibility and reduce pollution in this marine ecosystem, even if in the slightest bit.
Managing waste is vital to us here at NeweggBusiness. We have taken a huge step by partnering with PlanITROI so our customers can trade in retired eletronics for store credit. PlanITROI adheres to the R2 (Responsible Recycling) standard, for which participating customers receive certification when they trade in electronics. The process is simple, quick, and easy. You start by providing asset detail with an Account Executive, receive a quote within 48 hours, ship out your device, validate, and receive the trade in value.