Green box (container)

For other uses, see Green box (disambiguation).
The Green Box (GB) is a large metal container, designed and utilized for free public disposal and recycling of electronic waste.

Green Box Electronic Recyclers, Inc.
Industry Electronic waste/Carbon neutrality
Founded 2011
Headquarters Santa Ana, CA, United States
Area served
 California
Key people

Matt Miller, Inventor of the Green Box, Founder/CEO of Green Box E.R.I.

Scott Lukash, Vice President of Green Box E.R.I.
Slogan "Green Box It!"
Website greenboxecycling.com

Overview

Inventor and entrepreneur Matt Miller of Huntington Beach, CA created The Green Box in 2011, a 7-by-5-by-5 foot box that is placed on private or public property within cities wherein businesses and residents unload their old and broken electronics 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Green Boxes were first released to the public for beta-testing in January 2012, using bins manufactured and operated by Orange County-based Green Box Electronic Recyclers, Inc. (Green Box E.R.I.), in their Huntington Beach and other test markets. In March 2012, Green Box E.R.I. began expanding Green Box numbers into many cities throughout southern California including Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Westminster, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Tustin, Seal Beach and Sunset Beach.[1]

A Green Box at a Circle K in Westminster, CA
A Green Box at a Lamborghini Dealership in Costa Mesa, CA

The bins are highly recognizable in part because of their trademarked name and electric green coloration.[2] Located in high traffic areas within multiple city regions of southern California, Green Boxes are exclusively serviced and managed by Green Box Electronic Recyclers, Inc. a California Corporation.[3]

Design & Function

Color

The shade of green chosen for Green Boxes stands out, similar to that of a green highlighter marker. Matt Miller, CEO of Green Box Electronic Recyclers Inc, named the custom color ‘electric green’ and says they are the first company in the United States to apply such a bold color to an unattended collection box. Green Box E.R.I. possesses a U.S. trademark concerning the color green as it specifically relates to unattended deposit bins of any class.

Deposit Opening

Close-up shot of a Green Box deposit slot

The deposit opening on a green box is large enough to fit most all electronic waste including computers, DVD players, flat-screen monitors, LCDs, copiers, laptops, cell phones, musical devices i.e. iPods, household printers, fax machines, mice, scanners, servers, digital cameras, calculators, electronic boards, cords and cables, CPUs, routers, stereo equipment, medical equipment, video cameras, VCRs, disc-players and keyboards. Deposits are made by placing electronic waste on a large platform, and lifting up on the handle. Items fall downward into the box.[4]

Aesthetics

A combination of bright color and eye-catching graphics make the Green Box stand out from its environment. The graphics on the outside of a Green Box incorporate the company’s phone number, the company’s website, the company’s logo, a data destruction statement, a warning against dumping, a ‘no CRT’ label, a list of items accepted, the company’s Facebook and Twitter handles, the words ‘RECYCLE OLD ELECTRONICS’, and ‘FREE TO THE PUBLIC’, as well as icons of various electronic gadgets. The Green Box is approx. 7’ high x 5’ wide x5’ deep

References

  1. ↑ Norman, Jan. "How do you get rid of an old computer?". OC Register. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  2. ↑ U.S. Trademark office. "Trademark". Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  3. ↑ "Green Box Website". Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  4. ↑ MCMAHAN, ELYSIA. "Green Box Electronic Recyclers is making an impact New startup seeks to reduce the disposal of e-waste in landfills". OC Metro Magazine. Retrieved 20 Jan 2012.