A Few Ideas On Tech / Computer Recycling
Let’s face it – We are living in a world surrounded by technology. In many ways, we depend on technology. This also makes us a little materialistic and we are always dumping the old for the new, but where exactly does the old go? We all are accumulating more e-waste than we are able to handle, and it’s time to make an effort to get it under control. I am not going to exclude myself though. I am extremely guilty of keeping all kinds of e-waste. It seems like the tech keeps piling up even still! However, there are a few solutions that I have used and I think you should use as well.
Stop Buying
I know it is easier said than done. Buying things we simply do not need might be the biggest cause for an e-waste problem. Do you really need that new shiny iPad? We really need to listen to that voice in our heads that talks to us and prevents us from buying electronic items we do not need.
Give Back
These days, a number of stores are investing in a buy back program. If you’re making a new purchase at a store, be sure to ask the store if they will buy back your old camera, laptop or any other electronic item. Best Buy has a trade-in option, where you can get rid of your old equipment in exchange of Best Buy gift cards. I think this is a very good idea for any retail business to practice.
Sell Your Stuff
Craigslist and eBay are the best places to sell electronic items that are potentially valuable to someone else but useless to you. Be sure to sell your electronic items right away – they will lose value rapidly as later models come into the market. Craigslist is a good option to sell heavy or lower value items, since shipping is often not involved.
Local Options
If you are in the United States, the EPA website has information on your local options for recycling your electronics. And no matter where you live, check out your options to recycle locally.
“The Cloud” Living
If you are running a business, there is no longer a need to buy a large server or heavy-duty machines for your work. SugarSync and SpiderOak are great resources for you to back up and sync your files across multiple machines, without having to invest in a server. For the technical people, the cloud is also a great option for businesses to expand their memory on the fly and as needed.
Learn
Most electronic gadgets have toxic materials in them, so it is extremely important to dispose of them in the right way. Make sure to educate yourself and anyone else you know. Discovering all the toxins in electronics will push you to be more mindful of e-waste.
Buyback Options
This could of course fall under “sell your stuff” but there are a number of services on the internet that pay you for your electronics besides selling on Craigslist and Ebay. You’ll know you will be getting something for your electronics at least. BuyMyTronics pays you for your new, used, or damaged electronics when you send them in by mail. To receive some money for your “tronic,” you will need to use the provided options to describe the condition of your item. BuyMyTronics will then generate an approximate value of your tronic, like a blue book value. Should you choose to accept their offer, BuyMyTronics will reimburse you via check or PayPal for the amount they quoted you within 24 hours of receiving your item. There is also a service called Gazelle that works the same way. Both companies are Green which is of course good for the economy.
So there you have it. Go and practice these options!
Great site Jesse! Thanks for sharing.
http://www.Cellitused.com is another great place to recycle phones and ipods or electronics, they just launched a new web site that is very user friendly!
They also have a great blog at http://www.phoneburg.com