Cable Swap Box

     Cables are expensive and modern households have an overwhelming amount of them.  Have you ever forgotten to bring a charge cable to school?  This is the main purpose of the cable swap box.  You can make a simple one or a fancy one out of wood ( seek supervision).  It should contain compartments for, each commonly used modern phone and device cable like lighting ( iphone) and USB-C ( android) but also commonly used older technologies like USB-2 which are used for headphones etc.  Always include a larger receptacle for unwanted or broken cables and wires.

Why:

• Reduce/Re-use - this prevents buying of more and more cables when you have likely just misplaced yours.

• Recycle - this is one of the most valuable materials at scrap yards( metal recycling facilities).  Cables contain non-ferrous metals as they do not rust and conduct signals more effectively. Some even have gold leads.  This would provide small revenue stream for a school or community group, while improving the environment and economy.

• Environmental impact - It uses far less fossil fuel for companies to recycle and use these materials then to mine, smelt and transport them across the globe.  Re-using a cable uses no fossil fuel vs a considerable amount to manufacture and ship a new one.  Diverting these materials from the landfill, lowers need for landfill and saves precious real-estate, agricultural, and forest land.

• Economic Impact: These materials are limited and becoming scarce to mine.  The cost of shipping materials from countries like Africa are necessary, as we have a limited amount in the US.  Sometime in the next 30 years it is expected that these materials will become more scarce and therefore more expensive.  Some states have actually mined their landfills for these materials at great expense.  It seems much more economical to keep the materials in a recycle loop at a much reduced cost vs paying to landfill them.  This helps to keep the economy more closed loop and less prone to worldwide shortages and inflated costs.

• Small habits can make big impacts.  Say this swap box is taken over by a school environmental group.  This will be an ongoing improvement to the environment, service to the students, and revenue stream to be used for the environment.

Ideas:

• If you don't want to bother going to a scrapyard or deem the revenue insignificant, consider dropping off at staples, or best buy.  These are valuable donations for these programs that help keep them afloat as the cost of getting rid of the plastic and hazmat from electronics recycling makes the margins thin on this endeavor, and the high cost to value can wind up closing down these great efforts.

• The trend seems to be buy short cable of new technology as it is expensive.  Cost goes down, buy longer cable as it is less frustrating to use, and so on.  Keep all the longer cables and some of the shorter ones.

• prioritize keeping better made cables as many are discarded as they are cheaper and less fancy looking.

• Consider donating excess cables to Goodwill or similar charity.

• Consider A/V cables like HDMI, and optical sound cables.  The former are a very common need and the longer is better principle applies here.  Ever have to buy a new cable so you can move your TV?  

• If you get an overage of specialized or valuable cables like optical audio or gold lead hdmi, consult your advisor about the possibility of E-bay or facebook marketplace to generate revenue for the organization.  This expands the scope of re-use, recycle.  Ebay is a great place to find obscure or extra cables.