Cell Phones to Blossom Into Trees in Stow

Do you know how to turn old cell phones into trees? Sue Mottl does.

The landscape arborist in the city’s is spearheading a cell phone collection drive to raise funds for the purchase of trees, some of which will be planted during Arbor Day events at Stow-Munroe Falls elementary schools.

Mottl kicked off the drive with a donation of nine cell phones that had been piling up at her Kent home for nearly 15 years. “I [never found] a proper place to dispose of them, so I just hung on to them,” she said.

Knowing that others may also have an accumulation of old cell phones, Mottl partnered with GRC Wireless Recycling to create a doubly green situation: reducing landfill waste and earning money to buy trees.

The Florida-based company claims it is North America’s largest grassroots cell phone recycler, with more than 5 million phones recycled since 2002. The company’s fundraising and donation programs have raised more than $7 million for thousands of participating organizations.

Mottl’s goal with the recycling drive is to raise funds for Arbor Day tree-planting activities at the city's elementary schools, a program she started in 2008 with fourth-graders.

was brought into the program in 2009, followed last year by Echo Hills Elementary. This year, either or will be added to the list of participants.

The program is more than just a tree-planting ceremony, she said. Mottl visits the fourth-grade classes prior to Arbor Day and shares knowledge about tree care, including proper planting, mulching and watering techniques, as well as information about diseases and invasive insects.

Arbor Day presents kids with a chance to get dirty. “We get down and dirty and teach them how to mulch,” Mottl said with a laugh.

The schools are given special watering bags that attach to the trees, along with the responsibility of keeping them watered.

“The schools have followed through really well. At Indian Trail, the kids get to take turns watering and they really like doing it,” she said.

During the program’s first two years, Mottl paid for the trees and related materials out of her own pocket.

“I have that strong a desire for this program,” she explained. “Our (departmental) budget basically is for city property, and that’s school property.”

Last year Mottl secured a tree donation from Davey Tree Expert Co. in Kent, and is grateful the company is on board for another donation this year. She also has secured tree donations from two Stow companies – Vizmeg Landscape Inc. and – for this year’s April 29 Arbor Day event.

Trees can be pricey, which is why Mottl is operating the cell phone recycling fundraiser. As an example, she priced out a balled and burlapped celebration maple tree that’s 12- to 14-feet tall. The lowest available price she found was $100 directly from a nursery.

With four schools in the program this year, that adds up to a minimum cost of $400. Mottl’s hope is that a lot of Stow residents take the time to donate their old cell phones to the recycling program.

While newer working cell phones can bring up to $30 each, even very early models have some value, as GRC Recycling pays a minimum of 50-cents per phone. Mottl has already received a $16 check for the first 13 phones donated.

Drop-off boxes for cell phones with batteries (no chargers or cases) are set up at the Service Department at , 3760 Darrow Rd., or the, 5070 Stow Rd. Donations may be made from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Mottl also encourages area residents to participate in another fundraiser she started to raise money for the Arbor Day program. Money is earned for all paper recyclables deposited in the marked "Dumpster" alongside the Urban Forestry Department’s driveway.

Acceptable materials include newspaper, mail, catalogs, phone books, magazines, office paper and cardboard.

For details on either recycling program, call Sue Mottl at 330-689-5120.