1) Story from Audrey Zhang - OCSA Branch, California, USAThe OCSA branch was delighted to host its first short-term community drive in February in Cypress Village, Irvine. Over three thousand batteries were donated, which was very exciting to see! Additionally, the OCSA Branch collected from two long-term drives, in which over 500 batteries were accumulated in two separate boxes next to the community pools. This shows the proactiveness of the community to responsibly dispose of e-waste. The OCSA Branch will continue to host both types of drives!  2) Story from Tianchen Zhang - UWCSEA Branch, SingaporeRecently, Tianchen published an informative video detailing Singapore’s methods for reducing e-waste and advocating for responsible e-waste management. Tianchen remarked that the “[Singapore] National Environment Agency (NEA) is the leading public organization…ensuring a clean and sustainable environment for Singapore,” and that “the government has done a really good job.” The NEA runs the Extended Producer Responsibility Framework (EPR), which pushes electronics companies to take responsibility for their products and prevents future e-waste production. One of the ways the NEA has efficiently ensured the program’s success is by placing e-waste collection bins in high-traffic community centers as well as by incentivizing participation in the program with rewards. This has helped encourage public awareness and support, allowing for a strong and effective program. Follow this link to watch Tianchen’s video and other videos in the TAE YouTube channel. [Blurb written by Jacqueline Zhou, TAE Operations Director, on behalf of the UWCSEA Branch]  3) Story from Katelyn Gan - Sage Hills Branch, California, USAWe helped Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary in Lake Forest run a three-week battery drive and drove there and picked up the batteries each Friday. Stacie Aguesse, the Garden Committee Chair at Santiago school, made such a great collection bucket that the elementary kids found it very fun to drop off batteries through the “tunnel” lid (picture below)! Stacie disclosed her brilliant design: “I made it with a bucket lid and an elbow joint from the plumbing department of the home improvement store. I cut a hole into the lid using a knife, then super glued the elbow onto it and caulked around to give it more stability.” The Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary Battery Drive collected more than 5,600 batteries. “It was a great program that our families really appreciated. Thank you so much, we were overwhelmed with how popular it was!” Stacie told us on our last pick-up trip. We are looking forward to doing it again soon!  4) Story from Suren Sanjay - University Heights Branch, California, USAOur commitment to the environment at the University Heights Branch continues to thrive as we expand our collection efforts to nearby communities and businesses. Our youngest advocate, my seven-year-old brother, explained to others the hazardous effects of improper battery disposal, inspiring them to take action toward a cleaner and greener world. As a result of his passionate advocacy and outreach, we have successfully implemented monthly collection boxes at three strategic locations, collecting hazardous batteries for safe and responsible recycling. In addition, we are extending our collection to include other types of waste from neighboring businesses, ensuring that more waste is diverted from landfills and safely disposed of in recycling centers. Our community, local businesses, and residents have been invaluable partners in this journey, and we are proud to report that we have collected a few thousands of batteries to date. We are grateful for the ongoing support, and we firmly believe that working together can significantly impact our environment. So, let's continue to strive for a cleaner, greener world for all.  Stories from multiple branches
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