Today Companies for Good, a Dubai-based organisation established to make the world a better place, launches Tech For Trees, a new initiative run in partnership with Melltoo.

Specially designed to help people make a difference while staying at home due to Covid-19, Tech For Trees is an environmental initiative based on a simple swap: you clear your home of old electronics, and one tree is planted for every old item you send in.

People can take part as private citizens, or through their business (businesses just need to sign up for the initiative). Either way it’s totally free and very easy to get involved:

1. People donate old electronic devices (e.g. mobiles, laptops, tablets, etc). Individuals can get rid of the old devices they have at home and the companies can donate IT equipment that’s no longer in use.
2. Participants place their items in a box, take a picture, post it on social media with the hashtag #techfortrees, and nominate three colleagues to do the same (LinkedIn example)
3. They register the box online for collection and leave it outside their home (at a given time and date).
4. The items are collected, cleaned, repaired, and wiped all data before being sold on to people who need technology but can’t afford to buy it new.
5. Proceeds are used to plant one tree per item, helping protect the planet for good.

This is a new opportunity from Companies for Good, developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Normally the organisation – which offers ‘good on demand’ – works through businesses, giving companies and employees the opportunity to make a difference through social and environmental team activities. But now, in these unprecedented times, they’re giving individuals the chance to do good directly.

It’s a fantastic way to protect the planet – not just by donating your items to plant trees, but also by ensuring they don’t go to landfill. Electronics contain toxic chemicals that can leak into the earth and cause irreparable damage to nature and wildlife. But it’s also a brilliant way to support society – a new phone or computer can be genuinely life-changing, allowing people to communicate with relatives, set up a business or keep connected to the world outside. By donating an old device, that you don’t want or need, you get to help another human being while also decluttering your house. It’s a win-win-win!

Find out more about the initiative – and get involved – at techfortrees.org