Norman Kleiman estimates that only one of every 10 computers no longer in use on the Columbia University Medical Center campus finds its way to a deserving new owner and productive reuse.

And Kleiman should know. He's been at CUMC since 1985. Early on, besides his work as a molecular biologist and eye researcher and before today's IT Department was in place, he held various technology responsibilities.

Today, Kleiman is an Associate Research Scientist in The Department of Environmental Health Services at the Mailman School of Public Health, and Director of Eye Radiation and Environmental Research Laboratory. For the past 10 years or so, he's also checked out the area in the Black Building where discarded computers are picked up by a vendor for environmentally safe removal, including lead reclamation and reuse. He's taken away as many as he could store elsewhere, scavenged parts – sometimes even buying them at his own expense – and through a not-for profit organization, matched them with needy schools and organizations.

He estimates his work has resulted in the reuse of hundreds of CUMC computers. Right now he has 30 to 40 computers at the Eye Institute that need to find homes in the next few weeks.

He mostly works with the National Christina Foundation (www.Christina.org), that describes its mission as "working to ensure that used computer technology resources that no longer meet an enterprise's or an individual's needs are given a second productive life as a tool for developing human potential." Kleiman describes NCF as a broker whom he contacts when he has computers to donate, and NCF in turn gets an appropriate charity to contact him.

Kleiman tells a personal computer reuse story that began about 10 years ago when his wife's law firm donated some of its discarded computers to the CUMC Ophthamology Eye Clinic. When it was time for the Eye Clinic to replace these computers, Kleiman went to the NCF and the machines received a third lease on life.

Kleiman credits Kathleen Crowley, director of health and safety at CUMC, for the encouragement he's received over the years. With Kleiman's and Crowley's support, the Environmental Stewardship office is currently working with SEAS and other stakeholders to develop a permanent local reuse program for computers.

As if Kleiman's computer efforts weren't an already huge commitment to CUMC sustainability efforts, about a year ago he said he realized there are enormous amounts of used lab equipment that could also be donated.

For example, Kleiman says many grants provide replacement of older equipment that once cleared for disposal and unwanted by other possible CUMC labs, finds its way to the roll-away bins in the Black Building. From there it goes out as scrap metal. So he's also picking up as much as he can, and trying to match the equipment with worthy recipients.

An SUV filled with discarded lab equipment recently went to Lambuth University, a small liberal arts school in Jackson, TN. The donation was the result of a chance meeting at a professional conference last year and a conversation between Kleiman and Christy Donmoyer, a former CUMC post-doctoral fellow, about the ongoing need for more science equipment in college and university labs.

Donmoyer, assistant professor of biology, is now doing an inventory of the supplies, and estimates they're worth about $20,000. They include balances, power equipment used in molecular biology, glassware and plastic ware.

Lambuth has also recently received $1 million from a local donor to be used for more science equipment. Donmoyer feels that news of CUMC's donation of reusable materials may have stimulated the local interest and been a catalyst of sorts in the larger gift.

---- Barbara King Lord

Photographs 2 and 3 by Patricia Mast