What to Do with Old Technology

What to do with Old Technology

Aren’t new computers grand?...and a big pain.  First , you have to move everything from your old computer, delete data,  and then find a place to dispose of it.  This is the process for new cell phones, external drives, printer cartridges, batteries and other e-junk.  Electronic waste contains toxic materials and carcinogenic chemicals which when in a landfill or recycled incorrectly can cause great harm.  The e-waste shipped to countries like China and India is often dumped or burned which puts mercury and lead in the air for all of us. Other things such as old TVS, batteries, electric  tools and flashlights should never hit the dumpsters, either.

Consider these re-use options for your old equipment. Reuse it as music and video storage, extra drive for that new equipment or game station.  Find a group that will fix up your old equipment and provide it to students and elderly.  Donate your old phones to groups that reuse them, especially for communications with home for our troops.  With all these options, remember to wipe off your information and remove your SiM card from the phone.
If you want to rid yourself of that electronic boat anchor consider these options:
Many electronic sellers will take back your equipment and recycle them correctly such as Staples, Best Buy, Office Depot, and various manufacturers such as Dell and HP.  E-Cycle, Call2Recycle, and  e-Stewards are non-profits which will recycle.  Local organizations such as colleges in my area have a recycle day when they will take electronics and recycle them.  Watch for their announcements.

An excellent article with more information for recycling your tech can be found here at PC newsletter.  http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2383568,00.asp

Green Gadgets has a zip code locator for finding local places to recycle old electronics and other ideas for recycling them.

21 Ingenious Ways to Repurpose Old Tech is an article on really unusual, artsy ways to repurpose old tech.

OK, we don't need to get to carried away with repurposing, do we?