The proliferation of new cell phones is terrific for consumers wanting to trade in their old model for something sleek and fresh. It’s also heavenly for retailers who sell cell phones to an increasingly mobile generation.

But since people seem to change their phones as often as they update their Facebook pages, what happens to the old mobile devices?

Consumers typically don’t sell their cell phones to others. Their unused cell phones gather in drawers and boxes — or worse, in the trash and eventually in landfills. Obviously, that’s not good for the environment. But beyond that, most of those phones still have life in them.

Flipswap recycles phones to help those who can’t afford a new phone. The company takes your trade-in and give you store credit at participating retailers that sell cell phones. Or you can ship your phone – at Flipswap’s expense – for cool cash, or donate it to your favorite charity. You get green by being green.

Even the federal government encourages recycling of cell phones. The EPA estimates that a mere 10 percent of old phones are recycled each year. Consumer experts say that even if people wanted to, most of them didn’t know how to recycle old electronic devices.

Enter Flipswap. Since launching in 2005, Flipswap has facilitated the trade-in of more than 800,000 phones. In 2008 alone, Flipswap’s program kept the equivalent of 80 tons of solid waste out of landfills in the U.S.
That’s not just any solid waste. Cell phones and accessories, such as batteries and chargers, are manufactured from precious metals, copper and plastics. Nearly all of that can be recovered and recycled in the making of new products.

The result? Less need to mine and process new materials, greater conservation of natural resources and energy, and lower levels of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, the EPA says.
About 20 states have laws that mandate recycling of electronic waste. In July 2009, legislation introduced in Congress promoted research and development of programs to boost recycling of electronic devices nationally. The bill also sought to reduce the use of hazardous materials in electronics.

Flipswap supports legislative efforts to promote the recycling of cell phones and other electronic devices, as well as efforts to keep toxic materials out of landfills. But with Flipswap, consumers don’t have to wait for government action to make a lasting difference today.

Inc. magazine has ranked Flipswap, the preeminent solution for cell phone trade-ins and incentivized device recycling, number 81 on its 28th annual Inc. 500, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs. Companies such as Microsoft, Zappos, Intuit, GoDaddy, Under Armour, Jamba Juice, American Apparel, Oracle and hundreds of other powerhouses gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 500.

The Flipswap platform provides direct-to-consumer, value-driven cell phone recycling and allows retailers, carriers and OEMs to create innovative merchandising programs to drive incremental sales. Flipswap’s proprietary pricing engine offers mobile consumers real time trade-in value in the form of cash or credit when trading in their old phones. Based on select factors, which include the condition of the device, market demand and inventory levels, the Flipswap platform determines the appropriate path to reuse or recycle, maximizing the value and extending the life of each mobile device. Today, Flipswap’s trade-in program is available at www.flipswap.com and through an extensive network of nearly 6,500 retail locations in North America, as well as premier online partners including Amazon.com, Newegg.com and Let’sTalk.com. Since the company’s launch in 2005, consumers have flipswapped over one million devices.

“In the U.S. alone, over 150 million new mobile phones enter the market each year, with a typical replacement cycle of 6 to 18 months,” said Sohrob Farudi, Flipswap’s chief executive. “With only a small fraction of consumers taking the time and effort to sell or properly dispose of these devices, tens of millions of functioning mobile phones end up in desk drawers and landfills each year. Flipswap’s strong year-over-year growth is a testament to the ease-of-use and unparalleled value we offer consumers who wish to trade-in or recycle their mobile devices.”

“If you want to know which companies are going to change the world, look at the Inc. 500,” said Inc. editor Jane Berentson. “These are the most dynamic, fast-growth companies in the nation, the ones finding innovative solutions to problems, creating smart systems, and inventing products we soon discover we can’t live without. The Inc. 500 list is Inc. magazine’s tribute to American business ingenuity and ambition.”

The 2009 Inc. 500, unveiled in the September issue of Inc. magazine (available on newsstands August 17 to November 15) and on Inc.com, reported aggregate revenue of $18.4 billion—up significantly from last year’s $13.7 billion—and a median three-year growth rate of 880.5 percent. The companies on this year’s list are also responsible for creating more than 55,000 jobs since their founding, making the Inc. 500 perhaps the best example of the impact private, fast-growing companies can have on the overall U.S. economy. The largest company on the list, flat-panel-TV maker Vizio, broke the $2 billion revenue mark. Complete results of the Inc. 500, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found on Inc.com.

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A remarkable ninety percent of the phones collected by Flipswap are put back into use. This innovative process has doubled and in many cases tripled the useful life of mobile phones and MP3 players traded in through Flipswap services. Unfortunately some phones can not be reused and must be recycled. Whne this is the case the remaining 10 percent are recycled through SIMs, Flipswap’s recycleing partner. Starting this week, each phone that is sent to the recycler, Flipswap will plant 1 tree with one of many reforrestation projects arround the world with the reLeaf tree planting partner Mokugift endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme.

Future reLeaf project will incorporate Mokugift’s inspiration and sharing capabilities.