The CROSS TRAINING CENTER exemplifies the message, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”
The mission they fulfill each day is to empower and equip unemployed and under educated youth and adults. This is done through an innovative work training program that serves a secondary purpose – to recycle and refurbish used electronics so they stay out of landfills.
Discarded electronics leave glass, plastic and metal to pile up in landfills. But even more dangerous is the lead and other chemicals that seep into our soil. A whopping 40 million tons of electronics end up in landfills each year where they release toxic gases into our environment. Sadly, less than 12.5% make their way to recycling centers.
The latest statistics show that E-waste is 70% of our overall toxic waste. The good news is that electronics are easily recycled and the majority of the material can be used to manufacture new products. According to the EPA, recycling 1 million cell phones would reduce the amount of copper waste by 35,000 pounds. It could also result in the recovery of 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of aluminum.
Cross Training Center is a non-profit organization that operates Cross Electronic Recycling. Accepting anything with a cord, battery or motor from businesses and residences allows them to recycle over 400,000 pounds of electronics each year. The entire operation provides hands-on work experience for program participants. Computers, laptops, appliances and other small electronics are repaired or refurbished and sold at low prices at Cross Training Center’s retail store.
To learn more about Cross Training Center or to request a tour of the facility, reach out at www.crosstc.com or 402-590-2100.