SANTA ROSA, Calif.–Over the summer more than 3,000 residents across Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties protected themselves against fraud and identity theft by participating in Redwood Credit Union's free Shred-a-Thons, responsibly disposing of old financial records and paperwork.
Shred-It trucks were onsite at each event to help communities safely dispose of and recycle 134,280 lbs. of documents. And Conservation Corps of the North Bay collected 25,383 lbs. of e-waste, including old TVs, printers, monitors, computers, and other personal electronics for secure recycling.
To put that in perspective, RCU said the environmental impact of the shredded paper collected is 1,145 trees saved = 6.9 acres of forest, 469,980 gallons of water saved = watering 690 lawns for a week
“These free events help thousands of people safeguard their financial information, while also protecting the environment by reducing landfill waste and offering safe disposal of electronics,” Matt Martin, senior vice president of community and government relations at RCU said in a statement. “When e-waste isn’t disposed of properly, toxic materials can be released, harming our ecosystem and posing health risks. It’s deeply rewarding to be a part of an event that continues to have such a significant social impact on our communities.”
Redwood Credit Union said it is committed to information security and helping people protect themselves from fraud. In addition to offering these annual Shred-a-Thons, RCU has a robust online fraud education center with helpful articles and videos on how to avoid fraud, scams, and identity theft.
At each Shred-a-Thon location, attendees had an opportunity to donate to a local nonprofit. In total, the events raised more than $7,000 to support the Lake County Child Care Planning Council, Redwood Empire Food Bank, SchoolsRule Marin, Plowshares in Mendocino, and Puertas Abiertas in Napa.