Summersault Weblog

We recently found ourselves with several dead computer backup batteries on our hands (they help keep things running smoothly during power outages), as well as some other computer equipment that we were ready to get rid of. This “e-waste” contains toxic chemicals that, if absorbed into our bodies can cause a number of serious problems like brain damage, so we wanted to make sure it was disposed of properly, even if it meant paying a fee. In our attempts to “buy local” even in waste disposal, some research led us to Rumpke and their “E-waste Recycling” program. (I’d like to provide a link to a web page with more information about this program, but Rumpke doesn’t have one now.)

The minimum cost for this service was $98, which covered a full service visit with two people coming into our business, and carrying out all the e-waste that we requested. Our contact at Rumpke was Brian Huffman. You can contact him at 1-888-242-0510 ext. 5294.

There are other options in Indiana, but finding information about them is also frustrating due the lack of accessible information. The Indiana Recycling Coalition publishes a directory of reuse and recycling options in Indiana, but it is not user-friendly. If you have an old computer to get rid of, do you think you would call a “Broker”, a “Processor”, a “Processor/Broker”, a “non-profit”, or one of the “Other Players in Indiana”? Your guess is as good as mine. Those are the category choices provided, and no detail at all is provided about the services provided by each organization. And since about half of these recyclers don’t have websites, finding the best option for your e-waste recycling needs, or any viable option is currently a daunting task in our area.

There are organizations like ours interested in recycling, and organizations in the e-waste recycling business, but there is currently a missing link between them— a failure to use the web effectively to provide information potential recyclers need to make purchasing decisions.

I hope this situation improves soon.

As a software engineer, one of the genres of programs that you’re always on the lookout for is the “killer app,” the tool or utility that immediately becomes the “best in class” for a given problem space and technology. One problem space where I’ve been hoping for just such a tool to come along is answering that age old question, “how can we quickly schedule a meeting between a bunch of people with separately maintained and very busy calendars?” In the past, it meant lots of back and forth conversations, disjointed calendar checking, and that sense that you were spending time on “administrivia” when you could be out enjoying the world.

Enter the free web tool Doodle.ch.
Read the rest of this entry »