The Virtual Husband has just flown back to Blighty for Easter, bringing with him this – a simple, pre-printed, plastic envelope from www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com which he found tucked into a parcel of books he ordered from Amazon.

Cell Phone Recycling Program.

A brilliant idea. And clearly Amazon is signed up to help.

All orders of books, delivered in packages, now appear to contain one of these. It’s a plea to Americans not to discard their old cell phone but to put it in the enclosed envelope and post it, free of charge if sent within the USA, to an organisation helping serving military personnel to keep in touch with the folks back home.  

The instructions are clearly written on the envelope. 

The Mission:  Help Our Troops Call Home                                   

What an admirable “can do” approach. Why can’t we organise something similar in this country?

We should be thoroughly ashamed of ourselves.