Help save the coral reefs! Recycling program!

vitz

New member
Recycle Program to help save the coral reefs

Here is one great ecologically beneficial way the community can make a difference!

Send us your used printer cartridges!

CORL-AS has already partnered with a recycling company and is using the funds received from returned, spent cartridges that the recycler provides towards reef conservation and environmental education and awareness in American Samoa.

The response from the public and government in this recycling project has been so well received that we have decided to start the same program in the mainland US as a way to help raise funds for supplies for Ferdinand Cruz, CORLââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s associate in the Philippines, who is conducting net training and provide funding for CORL-USA projects.

You can select one of three options relating to where you would like the funds generated from their cartridge(s) to be applied

1) CORL-PI: all funds will currently go for net training and supplies in the Philippines.
2) CORL-American Samoa
3) CORL-USA

Here's some more information on the technical details of the cartridge recycle program:

1. Shipping is paid for.
2. It is possible to combine donations to send 10 or more cartridges at a time (saves on shipping and energy use).
3. Collection boxes are available for groups or club participation.
4. Pre-addressed packaging with Bar Code will be supplied.
5. A download with the project barcode will be available soon for instant sending/routing to where you wish to apply the donation.

A link to the various types of cartridges suitable for recycling can be found here.


Messages and questions concerning this recycling program, along with supply request should be sent to: recycle@corl.org or vitz@corl.org



More information regarding CORL

The Coalition of Reef Loverââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s (CORL) was formed to give the reef aquarist (or any one who cares about the worldââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s coral reefs) a way to directly contribute to the protection and sustainable use of the worldââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s coral reefs. CORL understands that because of the current rapid degradation of the worldââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s coral reefs (some predictions show 90% of the worldââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s coral reefs destroyed within 30 years), we all must play a proactive role in their protection.

CORLââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s main goal is to preserve, protect and restore the worldââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s coral reefs by: 1) promoting ornamental marine aquaculture (both in situ and in vitro) 2) promoting in situ aquaculture as a means of ecologically friendly and sustainable income for developing countries and as a way to supplement coral reef restoration cost 3) encouraging both ecologically friendly collecting methods and proper holding facilities 4) educating the marine and reef hobbyist on ways to lessen the impact of the hobby on the worldââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s coral reefs 5) educating the coral collectors on methods to lessen their impact on their coral reefs 6) educating the Small Island and Developing Nations on ways to lessen their influence and improve environmental awareness. 7) Working with other organizations to pull together and work toward overcoming the many problems associated with the worldââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s coral reefs.

CORL-AS is currently involved in: Village coastal resources management and development, coral reef restoration, aquaculture projects, and educational outreach programs in American Samoa.

CORL-USA (is now reopened) focusing primarily on: Education programs for hobbyists and the general public on reef conservation issues, informational resources such as DVDââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s and videos on marine aquarium keeping and our Ornamental Marine Species Data Sheets (OMSDS). CORL -USA is also setting up for the production of classroom presentations and development of audio/visual materials, for use in the United States and other impacted countries. It is the intent of CORL to start an aquaculture and holding facility for responsibly collected and cultured marine ornamental organisms in the USA within a few years.

More general info on CORL can be obtained here: http://www.corl.org/main.html

Thank you all in advance, and we hope you will take advantage of the unique opportunity to help w/reef conservation, via environmentally responsible recycling, as well



Mike R King, Director, CORL
Alan J. Lavitsky, Assistant Director, CORL-USA

As always direct donations can be made through Pay Pal at mike@corl.org or sent to:

The Coalition of Reef Lovers
2124 Plainfield Ave. N.E.
Grand Rapids MI 49505

If you would like to make donation to any particular project just note the CORL branch and project in the memo on the check or with an attached note if using pay pal.




Please feel free to pm me, as well, with any questions you may have.

Our website should also be updated shortly, and should have our latest newsletter up on it soon

I'd also like to thank RC for giving us the opportunity to announce this project to the reefkeeping community


Sincerely,

Alan Lavitsky
Assistant director
CORL-USA
 
at first glance, i thought i was aobut to find out about a groundbreaking program to re-introduce endangered corals back into the wild... i gotta admit i was a bit disappointed to discover it was instead a recycling program for printer cartridges. how about we put our heads together and start a collection of rare and endangered corals so we can put back some of what we're prying out of mother nature's hands?
 
Ocporkpie,

Actually CORL has been putting corals back onto degraded reefs for several years now; our news letter is posted on our website check out our projects. www.corl.org.

To restore a degraded coral reef habitat takes much more work than just placing frags back onto the reef. The next news letter will contain more in-depth articles on the whole process of setting up a community based coral reef habitat restoration project (CBCRHRP) in the South Pacific and just what's involved.

It takes $$ to do these projects the cartridge recycling program is one way the hobbyist can help without donating his hard earned money (save that for net caught fish and aquacultured corals).

If you want to donate cash, that's no problem all donations received will go directly to the project you wish to help and are tax deductible as we are a 501-c-3 non-profit organization.

We are getting ready to do a Island wide Coral Reef restoration workshop here in American Samoa in July, so far 7 villages have signed up for the workshop and several more are expected to attend it looks like it will be a well attended workshop so far! I'm currently in the process of finding sponsors for the workshop and related activities and many of those business I've contacted are also coming forward with their support for this important workshop.

A DVD video on the workshop and creation of the American Samoa CBCRHRP(s) will be created for anyone who is interested in the project (e-mail us if your interested and we will send you purchase information).

Faafetai Lava!
from the South Pacific CORL office.

Mike King
Director of CORL.
acting director of CORL-AS
mike@corl.org
 
CORL Recycling Program Update. 7-13-04

As of 7-13-04 over 500 used inkjet and Laser jet cartridges have been collected in American Samoa to recycle. The funds derived from this project will be put toward the creation of a coral reef education program at CORL-American Samoaââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s new office in the village of Auto on the Island of Tutuila.

As of 7-13 -04 we still have to receive one cartridge from anyone in the Mainland United States.

Thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s a score of 500 AS to 0 USA mainland!! how can you let a little Island in the South Pacific whoop you?

Come on!!!! send in those printer cartridges you can make a difference without digging into your pocket!

CORL-USA needs your support and help, Please at least contribute to this no cost to you funding project.

To make things even more appealing CORL-AS will plant 1 coral fragment onto a damaged reef here for every $4.00 that CORL USA receives in printer recycling funds!!!!
We have 2 areas that are ready for transplants at this time (Alofau and Masausi) and you can help restore these reefs by just donating what little time it takes to collect and send the printer cartridges to the recycling center!

If a club, group, business or an individual can collect and send in $2000.00 worth of recyclable printer cartridges we will send them a box of Aquacultured corals and zooanthids along with CORLââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s mariculture certificates from our CORL farms here in American Samoa (you must make any arrangements with a store, wholesaler or importer to receive the shipment CORL will take care of any CITES paperwork needed). We will have corals and zooanthids ready for export to you in 6-8 months so you have plenty of time to collect the cartridges. We will also still place 500 corals on the reefs for the $2000.00 of cartridges received.

How many cartridges does it take to make 2000.00? well the average value per recycled cartridge is about $2.00 with some laser cartridges bringing as much as 15.00 ea so it would take 1000 standard ink jet cartridges or about 200 laser jet cartridges (depending on maker) Shipping is prepaid so your cost (donation) is the amount of time it takes to collect, pack, and ship them to the recycler. Please read the instructions on our website at www.corl.org for full recycling details.

Contact me at mike@corl.org or recycle@corl.org for more info.

If you would like to donate directly to help save the only Indo-Pacific Coral Reefs in the United States donations can be sent to:

The American Samoan Coalition of Reef Lovers (CORL-AS)
P.O. Box 2435
Pago Pago
American Samoa 96799 USA

We are a 501-c-3 public charity so all donations are tax deductible.

Thanks
Faafetai Lava!

Mike King
 
What a neat way to kill two birds with one stone and save the reef while doing so! I know I plan on sending my old printer cartirdges in.
 
Job Oppening at CORL

Job Oppening at CORL

The Coalition of Reef lovers (www.corl.org) has 1 job opening for a Community Resource Manager at its American Samoa Branch (CORL-AS). The funding for this position is expected to be available October-November 2005.
Location will be in a semi remote village where you will be immersed in Polynesian / Samoan culture. House and vehicle will be provided. Starting pay will be from 14K to 20K + travel depending on experience and education. Only Insurance, Samoan income taxes (6%) and SS deductions to be taken from pay, you do not have to pay any Federal Income Taxes while working here. This is not a job to bring a family to, Village is somewhat isolated and school system isnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t very good. Valid USA passport required.

Good community and people skills needed. Mariculture and Aquarium knowledge are important along with teaching skills (both adults and children), also those with experience with grant writing and possessing a valid diver certification will be given a higher pay rate.

1st Choice for filling this job will be given to any Samoan possessing the necessary skills. All CVââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s and Resumes received will be kept in our records for future expected positions in 2006.

Send CV / Resumeââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ to:

CORL-AS
PO Box 2435
Pago Pago
American Samoa 96799

Or E-Mail to mike@corl.org

Faââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢afetai Lava!

Mike King
Director of CORL
 
We are ending the printer cartridge recycling program as of 1-1-06 Please check our web site www.corl.org for more information on how you can help CORL reach its objectives and goals.

Thanks to all those who have helped with this project.

Mike King
Director of CORL
 
sgolden,

Well it seems that the bus never left the station, as not 1 printer ink cartridge was sent in from a hobbyist in the states (according to the ink recycling center).

We were recycling both laser and inkjet cartridges here in Am. Samoa but the cost of shipping the laser jet ones went up so much we couldn't continue sending the laser cartridges back (we had to pay 100% of the cost of shipping from Am. Samoa up front and actually lost money on the last shipment to the recycling center), the inkjet printer cartridges being so much smaller and lighter are still worth while and we are still collecting them here.

If someone wishes to help us with the project in the states I would consider keeping it going, but because of the lack of participation I think it's not worth the effort and it would be best if anyone wishing to recycle their printer cartridges to do it thru a program that's local for them.

I thank for your interest and if your group wishes to help there are many printer cartridge recycling programs where you can send your empties in to. If you still wish to donate to help CORL out with the proceeds from your efforts it would be very welcomed by CORL.

Fa'afetai Lava
Mike King
 
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