The eco soldier:
One man’s trash is another man’s gold. This proverb fits perfectly in this case. The trash we throw away everyday, thinking they are of no use to us anymore, are being turned into gold by a man in Virginia. Collin Wheeler, a 27 year old young and dynamic entrepreneur in Sterling, Virginia have set up a business which turns trash into treasures. He is the chief executive of 123 Junk, which is a company dedicated towards providing eco-friendly trash removal services to the households of Sterling. He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Radford in Virginia. He started this company in the year 2007 and since then they have been collecting trash, benefiting both the company as well as the environment.
The arena:
Earlier Colin and his partner from 123 Junk used to go from charity to charity trying to sell the items they had collected. Now, they have their own containers at the Fairfax County landfill. There are two separate bins – one is for trash which cannot be used again and another is for recyclable items. They supply furniture, books, clothes to the local charities including Salvation Army and the Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. They also keep record of the donated items and sends receipts to their clients for tax relief.
The eco effort:
Colin’s company have benefited tremendously from the housing foreclosure crisis that swept the entire US. Virginia was one of the worst hit states. More displaced families meant more trash, which led to the tremendous growth that the company went through in 2009-2010 period. In 2010, the company earned a revenue of $415,000 and this year it is all set to go up to around $650,000. Apart from earning big bucks, they are doing a great service to the environment of the city. Trash can be a great cause for environmental degradation and by removing them they are saving the environment in a way. By ensuring recycling of items like books, clothes and furniture, they are saving many trees from getting axed.
The impact:
The idea of creating a company dedicated towards eco-friendly removal of trash is indeed a noble one. The idea is also unique in its own way. This type of deeds on part of young and educated people will definitely inspire others to take up many such eco-friendly projects in the future. There is no doubt that this will go a long way towards making our environment cleaner and greener in the future.
Via: The Washington Post