Cells for Cells

Recycle Cell Phones to Help Families Battling Cancer

cell phone

Black & Veatch Partners with Cells for Cells to Help Families Battling Cancer

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Black & Veatch Partners with Cells for Cells to Help Families Battling Cancer

Black & Veatch joins Cells for Cells in the 2009 One Million Cells Campaign to recycle 1 million cell phones and raise $1 million dollars for families battling cancer.

Recycling cell phones for three years, and a Cells for Cells partner since early 2008, Black & Veatch has extended their local participation to professionals in over 40 of their US offices.

“Most people still have three or four old cell phones in their home,” says Jason Clements, co-founder of Cells for Cells. “When Black & Veatch professionals bring in their old cell phones from home, they make a big difference very quickly.”

And that falls in line with Black & Veatch’s mission of Building a World of Difference.

That difference just might be felt close to home, as part of the One Million Cells Campaign is to search for inspirational stories of families that have battled cancer and reward them with what Jason Clements calls “an Extreme Medical Bill Makeover-style” giveaway.

Participation in the Medical Bill Makeover giveaway is open to any U.S. resident who is battling or has battled cancer. The details are available at the www.cellsforcells.com and www.cellsforcells.blogspot.com.

Clements remembers glancing at his grandfather’s medical bills back in 2005. “Just one dose of one of my grandpa’s medicines was almost $1,000!”

“And, I know $500 is not going to change the world or change anyone’s lives in a significant way right now. But it is THE start of how and, more importantly, WHY we recycle.”

For the month of March, the giveaway is $500 to apply to medical and related expenses. Cells for Cells defines related expenses as include pharmacy bills, co-pays, travel or gas for the car, or even flowers for your loved one.

Shawnee, Kansas-based Cells for Cells recycles cell phones to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to help families battling cancer.

For information contact Jason Clements jason(dot)cellsforcells(at)gmail.com

Organic Climbing: Green = Long Lasting, High Quality Products

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I always enjoy running into companies that have a wider view of what it means to be green. In the case of Josh Helke’s Organic Climbing, green doesn’t just mean reusing scraps of fabric (which they do) or powering their shop by wind energy (which they do) or promoting cell phone recycling (which they also do); but it means loving what you do and creating a product that will outlast the competition.

Jason: Organic Climbing – how did you come up with the name?

Josh: My wife is a Geologist. We were doing research near Price UT and I decided on the trip I wanted a better bouldering pad. We talked about starting our own company and making all pads one-of-a-kind by reusing our cutting scraps. We decided that they would all be organic-one-of-a-kind-artistic pieces.

Jason: How did you get your start with your company? Are you an entrepreneur or were you driven by your artistic/creative upbringing?

Josh: Creativity is in our family. My mother and younger brother are ceramist. I have designed and shaped hundreds of [climbing] holds for companies around the industry. I’ve designed gear. I’ve route set for over a decade and established over 700 first ascents. So, I have always been looking for some creative outlet. Once I started organic, I knew I could stop looking. I love what I do every day 100 percent. And I get to chat with awesome people around the world!

Jason: Has it been easy since the beginning of the biz or have there been tough times?

Josh: It has never been easy. When I started, I had never really used industrial sewing machines so when they would break (always at the worst times late at night) I would freak out. Then, as we grew, there was the how-to-hire-employees, train those employees, and be a boss man. Every step of the way is a new challenge; but, like in climbing, it is what keeps it fun and fresh.

Jason: What makes you happy to go to work everyday?

Josh: Knowing that I am creating pieces of gear that will make someone smile when the open them on the other end of shipping and be psyched for years to come. There is also something so cool about going on a trip (like I did this last weekend to the South east) and meeting customers face to face, getting an idea for new gear and getting right back to the shop and sewing up some prototypes. I get to create the gear people want with my 2 hands. It is soooo coool!!!

Jason: You’ve been climbing since you were 10. What are your favorite climbing / outdoor memories as a kid?

Josh: The many years my little brother and I spent exploring all across Minnesota and Wisconsin, developing awesome new sport and boulder lines. Also, the first year I moved out to Laramie WY, before I started Organic, Andy Rather, my wife Liz and I, would climb every day, averaging 5 new problems each. It was so awesome to have a fresh canvas in front of us to explore and climb.

Jason: Tell me about how you are green.

Josh: All of of our pads use a new soy foam open-cell as well as a non-PVC-closed-cell foam. We also reuse all of the cutting scraps in our shop to form the one-of-a-kind stripes you see on all of our gear! We also focus on building all our gear to the highest quality possible to be sure it lasts for ages. Our shop is also powered by 100 percent Wyoming wind energy!

Jason: I love that fact that you build equipment that lasts. Tell me about the environmental impact of your products.

Josh: We do have to ship our products and many of the materials we use in them, however we do our best to minimize our footprint by buying our foam and fabrics from USA suppliers and not outsourcing any of our products.

Jason: For climbers and boulderers that want to upgrade to Organic, what should we do with our old crash pads?

Josh: I tell people that there are so many kids clubs that can use them if they are in ok condition. You can keep them under your own climbing wall. Or, you can donate them to a local animal shelter to use for dog beds.

Jason: How are you spreading the word about taking care and being a good steward of our precious climbing areas?

Josh: We sponsor many many crag clean ups and we are very aware of who are local steward of areas and do our best to return support to those individuals. I try to travel to many of the major areas each year and we work with many grass-roots, local organizations through raffles, comps, etc. to help raise money for their projects.

Jason: What other climbing / outdoor companies do you like that support the environment?

Josh: I think FiveTen’s recycled rubber is really cool and forward thinking.

Honestly, I feel like many outdoor gear companies ride the green wave but are doing fairly little. I can rant on this for ages, but it is simple: make a bomber product, not one that falls apart, That way, you are doing the best thing possible by minimizing consumption. Why make it if it is not going to last??!!!

Jason: What’s your take on pad stashing?

Josh: I am not a fan, the game is to climb and carry your gear!

Jason: Favorite place to climb?

Josh: South eastern sandstone followed by my Minnesota homeland

Jason: Most rewarding line?

Josh: First ascent of Analog V9 Vedauwoo WY and First Ascent of Tugging Softly 5.13 Vedauwoo WY

Jason: Favorite shoes?

Josh: Currently Five Ten 5X, best all around shoe I have ever worn!

Jason: What cell phone do you use?

Josh: LC Chocolate

Jason: Do you have a favorite personal electronic gadget?

Josh: I like my Macbook and iPod

Jason: What is your take on the highballs that climbers are sending today – like Jorgeson’s Ambrosia – 45 feet up and others (some language on the Mirando video)?

Josh: It is the future of the sport for sure, and I am psyched to see people taking it to the next level!

Jason: How many Organic pads does it take to be safe (I mean little risk of injury) at 45 feet?

Josh: Pads can only do so much, if you have a well skilled spotter you can do amazing things and live to tell about it!!

Jason: Any tips for staying safe while bouldering?

Josh: Spot each other, spotting is so important, also watch your pad placements!

Jason: You guys doing anything different for your biz in this 2009 economy?

Josh: I am focusing on getting out more and showing people the quality of our pads first hand and talking to my customers and climbing with them in person. Face to face interaction is what we are about!

Jason: I love your YouTube video. At 1:45 you show the differences of Organic’s foam to other foams. That is quite a visual. You say that it is a proprietary product. Can you elaborate?

Josh: I can tell you that is is expensive but well worth it, and it is also eco sensitive : )

Jason: How long does it take for me to get my custom pad?

Josh: Pads can range from 2 days – 3 weeks depending on how difficult the custom design is and if you need it for a trip etc. I am always happy to help out a fellow climber : )

Jason: Last words?

Josh: Thanks to Cells for Cells and I would encourage people to check out the great service they provide and contribute!

Cells for Cells: Part of Pepsi’s Eco Challenge

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Have you seen Pepsi’s Eco Challenge website?

It begins with “Welcome to the NEW Pepsi Challenge. Many Pepsi fans remember the days of the Pepsi Challenge – when we dared consumers to chose among competing cola brands and trumpeted the fact that our brand consistently came out on top. (My personal favorite is Pepsi Cherry Cola – mmmm.)

The website continues, “Today we heed to a different call and face a different challenge, one that cuts across brands, companies, industries and even continents – the challenge of environmental stewardship, protecting our planet’s resources for the generations to come…”

It is one of the most robust recycling websites I have seen. The Pepsi Eco Challenge website tells the entire story of what Pepsi is doing to reach their environmental goals – from their improving their trucks and buildings to helping college students recycle with the new URecycle program.

And, did you know that Cells for Cells is part of Pepsi’s Eco Challenge:

To navigate to the Cells for Cells section of Pepsi’s Eco Challenge, go to www.pepsiecochallenge.com.

Then, click on the bottom right hand on the PACKAGING link and then, after that page loads, click again on the bottom right hand on the PARTNERSHIP link.

Thank you, Pepsi, for your leadership. Thank you for using our resources efficiently. And, THANK YOU for allowing Cells for Cells to be a part of Pepsi’s Eco Challenge.

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By the way, do you remember this classic Pepsi commercial with the Godfather Girl?

World’s Smallest Cell Phone: Could it be the future of Communication?

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You have got to check this out: It is the world’s smallest cell phone. This is the link to Modu Mobile’s website.

The phone is as small as a matchbox or a stereo remote control – and it is so versatile. It appears to function as the “brains” that powers your other electronics: car/home stereo, mobile phone, gps device, handheld games, etc. The coolness factor is off the charts. I can’t wait to “recycle” our first one.

If you happen to come across one and can “donate” it, we would love to play with it.

Here’s the vid: