Mary Jo Fruechtel / CIS 120 / 20079

VOLUNTEER SERVICE

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITYTECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

CENTERCENTER

MISSION STATEMENT

FREE GEEK IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT RECYCLES TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE COMPUTERS, EDUCATION AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING IN EXCHANGE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Computer life cycle is very short, 3-5 years

• By 2005, 63 million PCs will be retired

• In 1998, of 20 million obsolete PCs only 6% were recycled

PROBLEM

• We are throwing away resources and generating pollution.

• Cathode ray tubes from the monitor, circuit boards, batteries, and mercury switches all contain toxic materials, including lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium.

PROBLEM

• Recycling computers - very time consuming• One ton of electronic boards contains in #s• 600 of PLASTIC, 90 of IRON, 65 of

LEAD, 22 of ANTIMONY,• 286 of COPPER, 44 of TIN, 40 of

NICKEL, • AND ONE OF GOLD• One pound of gold is worth $6,000

RECYCLING

• Many people lack the means to own a computer

• Those in the lowest income levels need computer skills in our changing world

PROBLEM TWO

• Volunteers donate their time in the time consuming recycling process and earn a computer by learning in the classroom how to put one together

• The recycling process diverts used computer equipment from the landfills

THE MARRIAGE

• To earn a FREEK BOX computer system

• 24 hours of

• Logging in donations

• Recycling-Salvaging

• Testing equipment

VOLUNTEERING

• Founded in April of 2000• Local community organi-

zation • operates the Community

Technology Center in SE Portland

• Staffed by local computer geeks and volunteers

• Open from 12pm to 8pm Tuesday - Saturday

WHO

LOCATED AT 1731 SE 10TH AVE

WHERE

• Donated equipment is registered

• Monitors are a $10 fee

• “Gizmos” are logged into data bases

• Macs are saved for Eugene recycler

HOW IT WORKS

HOW IT WORKS

Components that pass the screening process are tested and stored.

• Obsolete or broken equipment is broken down for recycling or

SALVAGING & RECYCLING

Salvaged for valuable parts

RECYCLING

Our industrial recycling partners collect the scrap.

97% scrap is reused

STATISTICAL DATASTATISTICAL DATA

FREE GEEK has accepted the donation of over 40,000 used computers since Nov. 2000.

Nov. 2000

Dec. 2000

Jan. 2001

Feb. 2001

Mar. 2001

Apr. 2001

May 2001

Jun. 2001

Jul. 2001

Aug. 2001

Sep. 2001

Oct. 2001

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

DONATED GIZMOS BY MONTH

Stored/infrastructure Recycled Adopted

EDUCATION

Volunteers earn their computer system and an introductory class. Members who “graduate” from the member program can become eligible to take the FREEK BOX build class…learning how to build their computers from used parts.

Programs & Classes

USE OF BASIC APPLICATIONS

COMPUTER PROGRAMING (PERL)

PRINTER & MONITOR REPAIR

SOON TO TEACH:

NETWORK ADMINISTRATION

SECURITY

• My initial reception was questionable because there were a flood of volunteers at that time.

• You tour the site• Sign up for your first work

day.• Report for work-I logged

in Gizmos. I learned a lot about the different components.

• You punch in and out to keep track of your hours.

• You can only schedule one work session at a time.

• My third work day was in recycling. This can be therapeutic or very physical. You learn how to take the components apart. I did not enjoy this as much.

My Experience

SOURCES

www. Freegeek.org

Free geek brochure

Free geek presentation

www.recycles.org/byte/news/news-72.htm

http://azcentral.com/news/0420computer20.html