Motorola Gives Education in Recycling

Tired of bake sales, magazine subscription drives and soup label collections for school fund-raisers? Motorola has a new option.

The Schaumburg, Ill.-based handset maker is launching a new phone recycling initiative aimed at improving the environment and education.

“Race to Recycle” encourages K-12 schools to collect old mobile phones and exchange them for $3 each. Schools can earn up to $21,000 per year and spend the money as they see fit.

To participate, schools need to register, collect and ship old phones. In addition, Motorola is developing multi-grade lesson plans for teachers to use in classrooms.

Motorola said there’s no lack of phones for students, teachers and parents to collect. Of the 150 million mobile phone subscribers in the United States, 100 million will upgrade their phones this year.

More information can be found at Motorola’s Race to Recycle Web page.

In other Motorola philanthropic news, the Motorola Foundation, the company’s charitable giving arm, announced a $100,000 donation and partnership with Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center.

The money — $50,000 this year and next — will support a career program that promotes technology innovation and entrepreneurship among Chicago high school students.