"The 'Recycle for Education' program is a win-win for everyone -- the Oklahoma education system gets some well needed funds and Staples makes it easy to help raise customer awareness about protecting the environment by recycling ink jet cartridges"
OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Oklahoma State Firefighters Association (OSFA) and Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) have teamed up with Staples stores throughout Oklahoma to help raise money for education. Governor Brad Henry and First Lady Kim Henry will help officially launch Staples' "Recycle for Education" program, which encourages customers to turn in empty ink jet and toner cartridges to a local Staples store or other participating drop-off sites. Staples will donate $1 towards Oklahoma education for every eligible ink jet or toner cartridge recycled, with a goal to raise $100,000.
The "Recycle for Education" kick-off event will be held this Saturday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum located at 2716 NE 50th Street, Oklahoma City. Joining the Governor and First Lady to launch the program are Joe Lada, district manager for Staples, Jim Sanders and Gary Byrd of the OSFA, Carolyn Crowder, President of OEA, and Warren Thomas, CEO of Tinker Business Industrial Park.
"The 'Recycle for Education' program is a win-win for everyone -- the Oklahoma education system gets some well needed funds and Staples makes it easy to help raise customer awareness about protecting the environment by recycling ink jet cartridges," said Joe Lada, district manager for Staples. "Staples is grateful to the OSFA and OEA for their support in putting this program together and the impact it will have on the education system."
"Without a doubt, Staples is a friend of public education and a steward of the environment," said Carolyn Crowder, President for the Oklahoma Education Association. "We're proud to have helped plan and implement this program. The OEA will do everything possible to encourage our members to support this project."
The "Recycle for Education" program, began on February 1, and will last 100 days to coincide with the first 100 days of Governor Henry's administration. At the end of the 100 days, Lada will present Gov. Henry with a check to be used in the state's general education fund.
All other Staples stores located in Oklahoma will also hold local launch events on Saturday, March 8. In addition, customers can drop off recyclable ink jet and toner cartridges at the following locations: all Oklahoma fire houses; all Oklahoma GAP, Gap Kids, and Baby Gap stores; OEA offices; and Tinker Business & Industrial Park.
"We also offer a guarantee that all of our ink and toner cartridges will be in stock in our stores and as indicated in the Staples catalog or online," added Lada. "If we're out of the cartridge or toner a customer needs, we will get it to them fast with free delivery with $10 off towards that purchase or $10 off a compatible or remanufactured cartridge immediately."
Each year Americans discard over 243 million ink jet cartridges, adding 875 million pounds of waste to our nation's landfills. As part of Staples' commitment to help preserve natural resources, Staples offers its customers the opportunity to recycle ink jet cartridges year-round by featuring recycling bins in all stores. For more information regarding Staples' environmental efforts go to www.staples.com/recycling.
Staples, Inc. is an $11 billion retailer of office supplies, business services, furniture and technology to consumers and businesses from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. Headquartered outside Boston, Staples invented the office superstore concept and today is the largest operator of office superstores in the world.The company has approximately 55,000 associates serving customers through more than 1,400 office superstores, mail order catalogs, e-commerce and a contract business. More information about the company is available at http://www.staples.com.
The OEA is Oklahoma's largest professional organization for educators and education support personnel. It has about 40,000 active, retired and student members.
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