You know that you’re supposed to recycle your mobile phone instead of just throwing it away. Most people realize this and at least make some effort to do so but there are many people out there who still just toss their old cell phones in a junk drawer and forget about them. If you’re one of those people, you might be interested in knowing that the minimal effort it takes to recycle your cell phone can have a significant positive impact on the world around. There are many different groups of people all around the world who benefit from the recycling and re-use of mobile phones. Since you’re not going to be using your old phone anyway, maybe it’s time that you got serious about doing your part.

Here is a look at some of the different groups that may benefit from the recycling of mobile phones:

- Third World families. There is a huge trend right now for people in Third World countries to start using mobile phones. There are many different ways that this benefits the people living in these countries. (You can learn the full story about this here.) One of the biggest benefits is that people in these countries can place calls to doctors to deal with medical issues in a timely manner, something that hasn’t been available in these areas in the past. Another benefit is that small businesses can launch with the aid of mobile phones so that Third World communities can become self-sufficient in a modern world. They receive these phones after the phones have been donated to recycling / re-use programs in first world countries.

- Refugees. It is not just people living in developing countries who can benefit from cell phone recycling. Those people who are suffering right now in war-torn countries can actually benefit from this effort as well. For example, the war in Darfur has created a number of refugee victims who are displaced as they try to deal with ongoing conflict in their area. Programs like Dollars for Darfur turn cell phone recycling into cash donations that go to assist the people living in these conditions.

- Victims of domestic violence. There are non-profit programs out there which take recycled cell phones and use them to assist people who are dealing with domestic abuse. For example, let’s say that a woman has left her abusive husband and is living in a shelter. A cell phone with a number that the husband can’t track will allow this woman to stay in touch with supportive friends and family during her time of need without putting her at risk. Additional funding that comes from the recycling is used for domestic violence outreach and education to further reduce this problem in society.

- Victims of natural disasters. People all around the world are at risk of having their lives devastated by natural disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and other weather events that are out of our control can wreak havoc on an area. It doesn’t matter if it’s a highly developed country or if it’s one of the poorest places in the world, these events can cause trouble that is difficult to deal with no matter what the circumstances were before the event occurred. By donating your mobile phone to a non-profit group that assists people during times of crisis (such as Oxfam), you can do your part to make sure that areas hit with natural disasters can be salvaged. Who knows; that area might be the one that you live in!

- Soldiers. There is a cool program in the United States that is designed to use recycled cell phones to assist soldiers stationed overseas in calling their families back home. The cell phones are recycled and the proceeds are used to purchase calling cards which are given to soldiers from various U.S. military branches. These phone cards can be used to make calls to their families so that these men and women can stay in touch with their loved ones even as they serve their country from afar. The really cool thing about this program is that it was started by a pair of kids; they were twelve and thirteen when the program launched back in 2004. It’s grown into a huge program that many people contribute to by donating their used cell phones to places that support this organization.

- Animals and the people who love them. Some of the cell phone programs out there let you pick a charity for the donation of the recycling proceeds. Many of the options that are available allow you to help animals. Groups like the Humane Society, Born Free USA and the Best Friends Animal Society help rescue animals from cruelty and harm. Your donation can go to make sure that these groups continue serving the animal population in this way.

- Children. If there is one group in the world that you’re probably willing to give your all to help out, it’s kids. There are many different cell phone recycling programs that are intended to benefit children. For example, there was a fundraising campaign in the UK last year that raised £320,000 for BBC Children in Need. This is just one example of the temporary and ongoing programs out there that turn recycled cell phones into aid for kids.

- People who recycle cell phones. That’s right, cell phone recycling is actually a benefit to the people who opt to recycle their cell phones. If you donate your cell phone to a non-profit organization then it can be considered a tax write-off. And there are even programs out there which will give you money or discount coupons when you recycle your mobile phones through their organizations. If helping out other people isn’t a good enough reason to recycle your phone then maybe you can be motivated by the fact that it allows you to help yourself as well.

- The world in general. The fact is that electronic waste is bad for everyone. We live in a global society and we can’t afford to be filling up our landfills with e-waste. Everyone has to do his or her part in order to make sure that we reduce electronic waste and keep the country safe for future generations. Recycling of cell phones helps everybody in the long run.