To mark this year's independence day on July 4, AT&T and Cell Phones for Soldiers will be giving away 30,000 prepaid phone cards to soldiers stationed overseas so they can contact their loved ones and family members during the holiday period.

This is a very cool thing AT&T Wireless is doing for the soldiers in a time of serious economic hardship.  Sometimes, it is the really small things that help out in times like this.  AT&T has been working with the Cell Phones for Soldiers program for about two years and has recycled 3.6 million cell phones to date.  

The way the program works is people donate phones to the cause, these phones are sold, and the proceeds go to providing prepaid phone cards to soldiers to ease their financial burden a little bit and provide them with the means to communicate to those back home.  

There are two ways to donate to Cell Phones for Soldiers.  Individuals can donate their used cell phone handsets and accessories to one of the 2,000 plus AT&T stores across the United States, or they can go the even easier route, and visit  www.att.com/recyclewireless.  

Once at the site, you can download a free shipping label and send in your phone that way.  

Got an old cell phone sitting around collecting dust?  Have an old charger or ear piece that goes to your phone?  Why not donate it if you're not going to do anything else with it?  You know it's going to a good cause.  At this point, I don't know if cell phone chargers are recyclable through this program, but it's worth a shot.  Every thing helps.

Cell Phones for Soldiers (which works closely with AT&T in this program) is a very good organization because they recycle the used phones that are turned into them.  So not only do soldiers overseas receive free prepaid phone cards, a phone is recycled and a landfill is kept that much emptier.  It's imperative that we start doing more things like this in order to protect the earth.

I truly believe that businesses will be participating in more programs like this because there is great need.  We are simply not going to allow companies to just be all about making profit for shareholders.  There has to be responsibility to the environment and to the people in the community.

In this case, AT&T and Cell Phones for Soldiers are doing a very commendable thing (and have been for two years) by helping out soldiers in need and helping the environment as well by promoting recycling.

The throw-away society has to be stopped in its tracks or we are going to be wading around in our own filth in just a few years.  

And regardless of how you feel about war (really, who wants it), it is mandatory that we give our troops the basic necessities of life, communication with family and loved ones being high up on the list.  

At the two-year anniversary this summer, AT&T has really stepped it up with this program and I think there will be many more to follow.  Read more about this program in an AT&T press release.

• AT&T will continue to collect phones for recycling in all 2,000-plus retail locations through 2010. Partial proceeds from these collections will continue to support CPFS -- and its mission to connect military families with free phone cards.
• Through August 2009, AT&T and CPFS are working with the American Camp Association (ACA) to reach over 2 million children, tweens, and teens across the country with the patriotic and environmental cause. ACA outdoor camps are competing to collect the most phones and create the most environmentally friendly and most creative recycling bins.
• AT&T volunteers are handing out roughly 20,000 free CPFS recycling mailer bags to visitors attending the AT&T National in Bethesda, Md., this week, giving golf fans an easy way to recycle old wireless devices after they depart from the event.

Read my other hub about AT&T GoPhone. which gives wireless customers unlimited calling for $3 a day.