How LCN is benefiting local non-profits with their Ecycle Drive, Sarah Redekop reports.

The Ecycle Drive is not only reducing landfill waste. Along with providing community Wi-Fi access, the initiative will improve computer access throughout the city. I had a chance to find out how this will benefit local organizations.

Broken, bulky or simply unwanted, electronics are piling up around the city.

LCN receives ten cents per pound for the recycled electronics. Profits will be put back into the community.

LCN Executive Director, Alan Schneider, is spearheading the operation.

The goal is to provide more community Wi-Fi access and computer support to non-profits.

Schneider says LCN will increase computer access throughout the city.

“We’re also taking reusable material from here and we’re going to refurbish it, because we’re a licensed refurbisher, and we will make computers and notebooks more available to people in the community.”

LCN already has 36 public access computers throughout Lethbridge and surrounding areas.

Streets Alive is one non-profit organization with an LCN computer.

Streets Alive founder, Ken Kissick, says he’s appreciative of the support they receive from LCN.

“Through the Erecovery or Ecycle they’ll get us whatever computers we need. They can get us laptops, those kinds of things and they’re very generous towards us so we’re grateful for their work.”

Computers like this one at Streets Alive are provided by LCN. They allow members of the public without computer access or internet to do a variety of things. They’re able to come in, search for jobs, fill out applications or simply just browse.

Along with the addition of more computers, these electronics will also allow LCN to update software on existing computers.