Environmental Impact
Sky’s the Limit is committed to the health of our planet.
Did you know the average functional lifespan of a computer is roughly 2 to 5 years?
Traditionally, when a laptop reaches the end of its life it becomes 'e-waste'. E-waste is disposed of by being left in landfills or burned, neither of which are environmentally friendly options: burning them creates carcinogens, burying them contaminates the ground and water. Sky's the Limit diverts used computers from landfills by refurbishing donated devices no longer in use by companies and individuals. We have diverted 5,425 computers to date!
Did you know the average functional lifespan of a computer is roughly 2 to 5 years?
Traditionally, when a laptop reaches the end of its life it becomes 'e-waste'. E-waste is disposed of by being left in landfills or burned, neither of which are environmentally friendly options: burning them creates carcinogens, burying them contaminates the ground and water. Sky's the Limit diverts used computers from landfills by refurbishing donated devices no longer in use by companies and individuals. We have diverted 5,425 computers to date!
Wondering how you can champion mother earth and join our cause? You can:
Donate Your UseD Laptop
We all are affected when computers are buried, burned, dumped or destroyed.
Consider these e-waste facts:
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By 2025 Canada and the US will generate a cumulative total of 9.25 million metres tons of e-scrap
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20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste are disposed worldwide every year
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E-waste totals 70% of overall toxic waste
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E-waste is the fastest growing municipal waste stream, growing 4 times faster than other waste streams
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Only 12.5% of e-waste is currently recycled
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Canada is among the worst offenders of e-waste
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It is 13 times cheaper to mine electronic waste than it is to source new materials by extracting from the environment
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It takes 539 lbs of fossil fuel, 48 lbs of chemicals, and 1.5 tonnes of water to manufacture 1 computer and 1 monitor
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Every year 20 million computers become obsolete
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Over 500 million obsolete computers are estimated to be stockpiled in households and corporate warehouses in North America
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Educate yourself and take individual responsibility:
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Do you really need a new electronic device or can you upgrade your existing device?
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Store documents on clouds and networks so your device doesn’t require as much computing power.
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Keep your devices well-tuned. You’re more likely to want to keep them longer if they run better.
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Become a workplace champion, and educate your colleagues.
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Turn devices off when not in use - don’t forget printers and other equipment.
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Make sure occasional and casual users of equipment are aware of need to shut down when they are finished.
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Set devices to go on stand by if they haven’t been in use for five minutes.
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Use technology instead of travel.
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Print material only when necessary, and always use both sides of the page.
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Make greener computing part of your policies and future strategies.
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When purchasing new devices, choose those that have been manufactured in an environmentally-conscious fashion.
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Dispose of old devices responsibly; send old devices to be reconditioned and recycled.
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Find out how much energy your devices use and monitor ongoing consumption levels.
Volunteer Your Time
This is one of the simplest ways to champion our cause!
We believe the best way for our initiatives to be successful is for the community to actively get involved. Volunteering your time and expertise is an easy and efficient way of contributing to the great work we do at Sky's the Limit Youth Organization. Get in touch with any questions about how you can
Volunteer Your Time today!
LANd Acknowledgement
Sky’s the Limit Youth Organization, a non-Indigenous organization, is committed to ensuring that all youth have access to technology and the opportunity to expand and heighten their knowledge and skills. We acknowledge our role as settlers in this land on Turtle Island. We are grateful to be able to live and work on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Wendat Peoples. We recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and the Inuit peoples. We recognize the injustices of colonization and how we, as settlers, have directly benefitted from a colonial culture that has overseen the genocide, systematic oppression, and exploitation of Indigenous peoples. We commit to working toward safe, inclusive, just, equitable and healthy communities for all.