From everyone here at OWC, Happy Earth Day! The history of this holiday is a truly grassroots story with “an estimated 20 million people, from 10,000 elementary and high schools, 2,000 colleges, and over 1,000 communities,” across the U.S. participating in the celebrations and demonstrations that established the holiday on April 22, 1970.
The impact Earth Day has had on life in the U.S. is immeasurable. Beyond bringing sustainable practices to mind each and every year, no fewer than a dozen environmental policies and the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency itself can be traced to the impacts of the first Earth Day.
Here at OWC, sustainability is top of mind on Earth Day and every day. The company was founded with sustainability and a mantra of “waste not, want not” as its guiding principles. Whether it’s manufacturing long-lasting products with long-term support, or finding new owners for used Apple products, OWC is committed to sustainable business practices.
The company’s commitment to sustainability extends to its headquarters and daily operation. In fact, the company recycles 97 percent of its solid waste materials and in 2010, received LEED® Platinum Certification from the Green Building Certification Institute. By 2015, OWC had reached its goal of generating more power than consumed through the use of an on-campus wind turbine and solar array.
In fact, OWC’s founder and CEO Larry O’Connor was recently honored by the National Association of Broadcasters as an inaugural Sustainability Champion winner for his and the company’s work in promoting “conservation and reusability of natural resources and foster[ing]economic and social development.”
“I want to seek solutions for our world that—like our tech at OWC—are true solutions. Not just quick fixes for superficial symptoms,” O’Connor says. “Our world and its future generations deserve solutions to problems that cure these ills at the source rather than with synthetic band-aids that only obscure the problem until later on down the line.”
Today, Earth Day is celebrated the world over each year on April 22. For Earth Day 2023, here are some ideas of how you can participate and celebrate in this global celebration.
1. Plant a tree or start your own garden
Head to the store and buy a tree sapling or a collection of flowers (or both!) and plant them in your yard. If you don’t have a yard, or you’d rather have your flowers’ more visible from your indoor space, build a window flower box and plant there.
2. Go camping or for a hike in your local state or national park
There’s no better day to appreicate your local state or national parks than Earth Day. Research your nearby parks and plan a weekend hiking excursion.
3. Stay in and read up or watch a documentary on sustainability
If you’d rather stay in this Earth Day weekend, check out one of these awesome books on sustainability to read up on the biggest issues facing our planet and the work being done to address them. Or, make a virtual visit to our planet’s extraordinary places by firing up your favorite streaming app and watching an environmental documentary.
Here’s the Netflix listing of great nature docs. Our favorite films:
- Kiss the Ground
- Our Planet
- My Octopus Teacher
- Our Great National Parks
4. Do some spring cleaning and recycle your old tech products
Earth Day is a great opportunity each year to declutter and recycle things you aren’t using anymore. Go through your closet and set aside any clothes and shoes in good condition that you don’t plan on wearing anymore. Then donate those to your local shelters or donation centers.
Then, go through your home office and set aside any tech products you aren’t using anymore. You can find more information on e-Recycling centers in your area here.
5. Sell old tech products for cash
And if you have a Mac, iPhone, or iPad that’s gathering dust but in working condition, you can recycle it for cash. Just visit SellYourMac.com to get started.
6. Save on new tech products
The Earth Day celebration extends to the OWC storefront at MacSales.com! From now until Tuesday, April 25 at 2am CT, there are serious savings to be had on some of our most popular products.
Earth Day Deals at OWC
“Sell old tech products for cash”
Are used to do that. I always sold things for less than I paid for them, so there were no tax consequences. Now, with the new government, eBay will be sending out 1099s. I’m just not interested in all the paperwork or paying income tax on anything that I can’t prove my original cost. It looks like a lot of perfectly good items are going in landfills now.