The Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Eco-Challenge has
joined Carbonrally, an online community where teams complete
challenges that result in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
The Eco-Challenge has also wrapped up its cell phone recycling
program - which collected hundreds of cell phones and accessories
from the legal community in the state over the past year.
Eco-Challenge joins Carbonrally effort
The MBA urges lawyers and firms across Massachusetts to join the
Eco-Challenge Carbonrally team as a way to invigorate energy
conservation.
"Carbonrally is a fun, easy way for Massachusetts attorneys to
keep track of the ways they are reducing their energy consumption,"
said Nancy B. Reiner, co-chair of the Energy and Environment Task
Force, which oversees the Eco-Challenge.
"From agreeing to cut back on office paper use, to committing to
utilize reusable bottles and containers, lawyers can choose the
level of participation that makes the most sense for their
situation," said Reiner, executive director of Counsel on Call in
Boston.
Carbonrally, which was created in Massachusetts, proposes
challenges for teams to participate in and enables individuals to
suggest new challenges. Working on an honor system, the site
tallies each team's total reduction in carbon dioxide emissions
based on the challenges each agrees to participate in and
complete.
"By joining our team, lawyers can choose challenges that abide
by the tenants of the MBA Lawyers Eco-Challenge and its Green
Guidelines," said Susan Reid, senior attorney and director of the
Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Change Initiative for the
Conservation Law Foundation, which partnered with the MBA in 2007
to launch the Lawyers Eco-Challenge. "We hope that by joining our
team, the legal community in Massachusetts will be energized to
consider new ways of being Earth-conscious."
There are currently more than 1,000 Carbonrally teams worldwide,
including dozens of companies such as Boston University, Intel,
Google and NBC.
Cell phone recycling program wraps up
The Lawyers Eco-Challenge cell phone program collected and
recycled 239 phones, 254 phone chargers and 90 other accessories
that would have otherwise been tossed in garbage cans between
February 2009 and April 2010.
"Our cell phone recycling program kept hundreds of cell phones
containing dangerous, hazardous chemicals out of landfills, and it
provided a service to our members who sought a way to recycle their
unwanted phones," Reiner said.
The phones and accessories were collected at five locations:
- MBA headquarters, Boston;
- MBA Western Mass. office, Springfield;
- CLF Massachusetts headquarters, Boston;
- The Green Roundtable's NEXUS Green Building Resource Center,
Boston; and
- Seyfarth Shaw LLP's office, Boston.
HopeLine has collected more than 7 million phones and kept more
than 200 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills
since the national recycling program began in October 2001.
The proceeds - including more than $7.9 million in cash grants -
benefit organizations running domestic violence awareness and
prevention programming, including YWCA of Western Massachusetts,
the Norfolk County Sheriff's Department and the Boston Area Rape
Crisis Center.
Since the 2007 launch of the Eco-Challenge, the MBA and CLF have
issued the MBA Lawyers Environmental Pledge and published Green
Guidelines for the office, home and landscaping. More than 100
firms, attorneys or organizations throughout the state have joined
to become Pledge Partners.