Many of us have unused electronic waste in our homes. That old laptop that died – you had grand plans to see if you could get anything off that hard drive, but never followed through. The clunky digital camera that you never use anymore because the one on your smart phone is so much better. And when you think about workplaces upgrading equipment, you can see how e-waste becomes a critical issue if it is not handled well. People sometimes throw items like laptops and cameras in the garbage, putting harmful chemicals in landfills where they don’t belong. Or you might return your unwanted product to a manufacturer who will take it for free, only it actually ends up polluting somewhere else, because they don’t recycle responsibly.

At the same time, many people in our community still do not have access to technology. Often that same population might be in great need of marketable job training skills – and computer skills are a great one. Free Geek (http://freegeektwincities.org/) aims to address both of these related issues at the same time:

“Our mission at Free Geek Twin Cities is to reuse or recycle computers and to provide access to computers, the internet, education and job skills in exchange for community service.”

Come to our April 17 member meeting to find out more about this innovative organization and how you might get involved. 9:00 am at Redesign, 2619 East Franklin.