New York –
said Thursday it is leveraging its CE recycling experience and
taking an eco-leadership position as the exclusive CE sponsor of the 2011 Great
American Cleanup, a national green volunteerism program organized by Keep
America Beautiful.
“In 2010, volunteers across the country recycled 7.2 million
pounds of consumer electronics during the Great American Cleanup, and we expect
that figure to be topped in 2011,” said Wayne Park, LGE USA president and CEO
As part of the Great American Cleanup, which runs through May 31,
Park addressed a crowd of volunteers in New York City’s Times Square to stress the
importance of replacing old electronics and appliances with Energy Star qualified
products.
He said the LG Electronics Recycling Program was designed to
offer consumers a convenient and responsible way to dispose of used, unwanted,
obsolete or damaged consumer electronics products.
In 2010, LG recycled more than 8 million pounds of home
electronic products in the United States, free of charge to consumers, the
company said.
“After recycling their old products, consumers can save energy by
upgrading to Energy Star qualified products,” Park said, encouraging consumers
to join LG in taking the “Change the World, Start with Energy Star” pledge and
save energy by recycling old products.
U.S. consumers’ purchases of LG Energy Star qualified products in
2010 will save about $650 million in utility costs and will reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by nearly 4 billion pounds over the lifetime of these products,
the company said.
The Keep America Beautiful campaign is expected to rally 1,200
participating organizations and 3.5 million volunteers to keep U.S.
neighborhoods clean and green.
The 2011 theme, “Green
Starts Here,” is a rallying call that encourages civic leaders and volunteer
groups to begin creating more sustainable communities through their efforts as
volunteers, and through their daily choices and actions.
It also reflects Keep America Beautiful’s long legacy of waste
reduction, recycling, beautification and community greening activities, LG said.
Last year, nearly 4 million volunteers in 33,700 communities took
part in the Great American Cleanup, collecting 76 million pounds of litter and
debris.
LG’s Park said its involvement in Keep America Beautiful’s Great
American Cleanup supports its sustainability initiatives that include
recycling, energy conservation, responsible product designs, renewable energy
and reducing hazardous substances and greenhouse gas emissions.
He presented a donation to the “Keep New York City Beautiful
Coalition.”
“Life’s good when you live green,” he said.
