Alex Lin – Turning E-Waste Into E-Treasure

Alex Lin was a boy who was just reading the newspaper one day. He read an article about something called e-waste. He learned that it is the waste generated as people upgrade electronic devices. When people are done with things like computers, phones, mp3 players, etc. and throw them away, that’s e-waste. He also learned that e-waste is dangerous to the environment. Yet this was not something that was not widely known. Alex decided to do something about it.

To help stop e-waste, Alex got help from his community service group, the Westerly Innovations Network (WIN). WIN spread the message about e-waste and gave people a chance to recycling and refurbish it instead. Before long, Alex and WIN were saving thousands of pounds of e-waste from being thrown away! They helped recycle e-waste and refurbish computers to donate to those in need in America and in other countries. Alex and WIN are helping save the environment, one old computer at a time! This video tells all about Alex’s great efforts.

Additional Resources:

• Here is  an article about Alex and his efforts.
• Here is an interview with Alex.
• Click here for more InspireMyKids stories about the environment.
• Find great books in our store, like Acting for Nature, about how children can help the environment.
• This video is about recycling e-waste.

Topics for Discussion:

• Think about all the electronics families have. How often do they get replaced? Where do the electronics go after the family is done with them?
• One of Alex’s inspirations is the quote “Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.” Are there any “brick walls” in your life that you can get past if you just work harder on them?

Take Action:

• Talk to family and friends about the danger of e-waste and tell them to recycle their old electronics!
• Check out the Environmental Protection Agency website for information about how you can help recycle e-waste!

Teacher Features:

• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.