By JOHN EBY
Dowagiac Daily News

CASSOPOLIS – One discarded cell phone can pollute 40,000 gallons of groundwater.
Manufacturing one desktop computer requires fossil fuels and chemicals that weigh nine times more than the PC itself.

Consumers’ voracious appetite for new technologies creates unprecedented toxic waste.
Computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones and other consumer electronics quickly become cast-off disposable items as each new gadget comes along and can either become toxic refuse or recycled goods.

Berrien County’s Bridges to Digital Excellence (BDE Technical Services), 175 W. Main St. in downtown Benton Harbor, has been around since 2003, when it started as a program of the Council for World-Class Communities, but will become more familiar here as the non-profit 501c3 recycler elevates its profile in Van Buren and Cass counties to bridge the digital divide between business and technology.

A Cass County pilot project is planned for this fall, Director Douglas Chapman informed the Board of Commissioners during a half-hour presentation Thursday night.

Calling it a “small idea made big,” state Rep. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, who serves on BDE’s board, praised Chapman for “making a huge impact on families all across Berrien and Van Buren counties and soon, Cass County. He is to be commended for seeing an opportunity to grow something far greater than what his original vision was. It’s exciting to watch someone with his kind of passion, but as a board member, my job is to be tough on him.”

Chapman said BDE originated as a conversation between school superintendents in Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Lakeshore.

St. Joe had done a study concluding 98 percent of its students enjoyed computers in their homes – 80 percent with multiple machines or their own computers.

Benton Harbor’s school chief knew her district couldn’t match that without conducting a survey.

How could this disparity be addressed?

Its first year of operation, BDE gave away 180 computers.

“Actually, we started the June night of the civil disturbance (riots) in Benton Harbor,” he said. “We had families from all three communities enrolled in that class in downtown Benton Harbor. Everybody came back the next day and we graduated the first nine families.

“Last year, the CWCC went through some changes and merged with a couple of other organizations and shut off all its direct-service programs. It didn’t have time to manage the 112 other employees who worked within the new group called the Consortium for Community Development (CDD). We split off with their funding help for three years” and a willingness to go it alone as a non-profit.

Last year BDE gave away its 2,000 computer in Benton Harbor, marked with a “huge celebration” at Lake Michigan College Mendel Center.

“Last year,” Chapman said, “we were also the only non-profit to receive a Platinum Stakes award from Cornerstone Alliance in job creation and business growth. We increased our business operation from a budget of about $140,000 to the BDE giving away 200 to 300 computers a year and $340,000 in business. This year, we’re going to be close to $750,000.

“What that really means is we’re taking those funds and things that come in and put them back in the community. Everything we do goes back into job training, job creation, workforce development and giving away computers to families with kids who don’t have one.”

“In the Cass County area, we’re going to be piloting a program this fall,” Chapman said. “My committee on the Computers in the Home (CIH) program will be outreaching to a school here and we’ll be giving away our first nine or 10 computers this fall when school starts up.”

To date, Chapman related, more than $2.5 million in refurbished computers and software have been donated to individuals.

Chapman on Monday nights at 6 hosts a technology show called “Geek Speak” on 94.9, WSJM.

Funding from United Way and the CCD is specific to Berrien County, but BDE is doing workforce development classes for Michigan Works! and Woodlands to offset the cost of expanding into Cass County.

“I believe,” Chapman added, “we’re working with Michigan Works! to set up another class to run in Niles. Our passion and drive are to see that every child who goes to school has a computer. Where will they be without technology? How will they compete in our global economy, our global society, so no one gets left behind.”

Chapman said, “Our biggest project is the e-cycling or recycling asset recovery, refurbishing and resale of our thrift store, a new business. It had not existed in Benton Harbor, but we are a fully-functioning electronics store.

“Our IT services are for non-profit schools and government agencies. We’ll come in and become an outsourced IT department for those who can’t afford technology support. We’re not trying with our discounted rates to compete with the for-profit sector, but we can do a free assessment of the needs, give them our honest recommendation. We have 14 customers,” including the Cornerstone Alliance, Habitat for Humanity, Berrien County Community Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor, which BDE “made over” last year, rewiring its clubhouse over a five-week period for 100 PCs and rebuilt its server “using adults who had gone through our workforce development training.”

“We’re talking with about three other companies right now,” he said. “(Today) we’re starting an inventory and assessment project for Lakeshore Public Schools. We’re hiring in three kids so there will be two of my technicians onsite and three kids going through the entire high school and middle school dusting and defragging and upgradng. They said their computers had a five-year life cycle, and 80 percent are at seven years or plus.”
BDE also supports the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program.

In a related matter, Commissioner Carl Higley Sr., R-Ontwa Township, reported the household hazardous waste disposal at the fairgrounds collected 5,807 pounds of materials for a preliminary estimated cost of $7,384.88.

Seventy-five participated “from pretty much every township in the county,” Higley said. “We also collected 293 tires.”