HTC store in Conway turns green for annual fair

Kermit the Frog was known long ago for his ditty about his hue, “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” but HTC begs to differ with those exact words and context.

Horry Telephone Cooperative Inc. will have its seventh annual “Green Fair” and Earth Day celebration, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday at the company store at 2201 U.S. 501, Conway, across from Horry-Georgetown Technical College.

The public is encouraged to bring telephone directories, cell phones and any kind of used electronic devices for recycling, as well as sensitive documents. for on-site shredding by Shred-it. The festivities also will include booths by local entities touting green initiatives, free giveaway items, entertainment on stage, drawings for prizes such as a premium security system and personal computer tune-up, and special appearances by local mascots.

Nicole Hyman, senior marketing coordinator for HTC, fielded some questions about the Conway-based company’s excitement to keep the Earth Day message of respecting our planet’s resources in the forefront of people’s minds and remind everyone about recycling.

Question | What is the most popular part or pitch of each interactive and educational HTC Green Fair for Earth Day, or does the focus or emphasis shift as time marches on, and technology continues its advances and inevitable transitions?

Answer | Recycling is always the main focus of the fair, with thousands of directories and hundreds of cell phones recycled at the Green Fair annually. However, shredding is definitely the most popular part of the fair. E-waste recycling (any item that has a cord) is becoming more popular, with 1,000 pounds recycled at last year’s event.

Q. | It seems in this age of way-too-easy identity theft in this computer-driven world, the importance of shredding sensitive documents – which goes into the recycling pool, just like newspapers – gets more magnified as a means of consumers enhancing financial protection. Besides the value of paperless billing and secure online payments, how does this public service of mass on-site shredding provide a vital public service, with demand only increasing?

A. | Each year, we continue to see the increased need of those in our community to protect their identity and shred sensitive documents. More than 10,000 pounds of documents were shredded in 2014, and more than 7,500 pounds were shredded in 2015. Visitors to the Green Fair deliver boxes and boxes of papers each year for shredding. Most people prefer the option of watching their documents being shredded right there on site.

Q. | For folks dropping off old electronic cell phones and the like for recycling, what steps can they take to ensure those devices are clear of any personal information?

A. | First, make sure the phone is charged. Next, go into phone settings. Then, choose the master reset or master clear option, and that will reset the device to the original format.

Q. | A telephone directory remains a must-have tool in my life, with copies of each annual book at home, in the office, and even in my car. How many books does HTC end up recycling every year after new versions are published and distributed in neighborhoods and in businesses? Also, does the company still have the recycling contest among local schools, which piled them up by the truckload?

A. | To avoid excess recycling, HTC orders directories based on the previous year’s demand. HTC no longer provides a directory recycling contest among local schools but continues to host the Green Fair annually for recycling directories. HTC also encourages residents who are unable to attend the Green Fair to recycle old directories and other items at the Horry County Solid Waste Authority Recycling Center in their community. A list of recycling centers is on pages 32 and 33 of the 2016-17 HTC directory or online at www.solidwasteauthority.org/recyclingcenters.html.

Q. | Speaking of this season, with delivery of new HTC phone books under way this month, how much fun do company personnel have in choosing the cover photographs for editions each year? The front of my new book – a Myrtle Beach-area copy – boasts a striking great egret. Which do the other books delivered in Conway and Georgetown for 2016-17 have on their respective covers?

A. | The Conway cover showcases a beautiful wood duck, and the Georgetown cover was taken at Brookgreen Gardens.

Local HTC members and award-winning, amateur photographers contributed to the directory covers again this year. Tony Morano’s photo was selected as the winner for the western Horry County (Conway) directory cover – his ninth winning cover since 2011. Austin Bond’s photo was selected for the Georgetown directory cover – his fourth cover to date, and Donald Hovis Jr. ,with Tides Eye Photography, won for the Myrtle Beach directory cover.

Q. | Also on the topic of recycling: With the busy nature at, and need for, the 24 Horry County recycling centers, in what other ways does HTC promote recycling and reminders to be mindful of Mother Earth – in this beautiful area we call home?

A. | There is a recycle message and universal recycle logo printed on the outside and inside of every directory. It is a little known fact that 97 percent of all directories are recycled nationwide – according to data from the Local Search Association, and Recycle Yellowbook – and made into products such as coffee-cup trays, egg cartons, cereal boxes as well as GreenFiber (fire-resistant, cellulose) insulation, packaging material, mulch, compost and animal bedding.

This story was originally published April 17, 2016 at 6:00 AM with the headline "HTC store in Conway turns green for annual fair."