Thankfully, it seems for the most part, modern society has embraced recycling. Consumers realize that recycling items will keep them out of our nation’s landfills. Many people though, aren’t aware of the importance of recycling their electronics as well (perhaps because this isn’t done often enough to for municipalities to offer it as a curbside service.) Electronics and old outdated devices such as monitors, cell phones and batteries tend to leak or release unsafe toxins into the environment when they are simply tossed into the landfill. Recycling them is one more important step in caring for the Earth.
Office Depot has a well-established program that makes it easy to recycle. The idea is to purchase various sized boxes for a fee and then filling them up with as much as you can. The company handles the rest. And if there isn’t an Office Depot in your area, you can check sites like EcyclingCentral or Earth911 to help you find local areas where you can take your unwanted things.
The best part about recycling electronics is that sometimes the items can be saved or reused. Not all items are worthless in fact some electronics are still valuable, so posting an ad on Craigslist, Ebay or in your local newspaper is a great idea. What one person deems trash, another sees a treasure. Other companies like Gazelle or TechForward will buy your cell phone and pay you depending on a list of criteria. Big box stores like Staples, Costco and Best Buy offer trade-in discounts for game consoles, computers, music player and phones. Another great alternative is to donate your item; there are many non-profit charitable organizations that are more than willing to take them off your hands.
If your looking to get a new computer and don’t wish to sell it consider recycling it. The only issue here is to make sure the memory is cleared off. Most owners don’t realize that sensitive information they may have deleted are still present on the their system. Companies like WipeDrive or even DataEraser can delete information off of your hard drive if you are unsure of how to do this yourself.
Donating, recycling, or selling any of your electronics is better than them ending up in a landfill. Take the time, do a little research, find the best place to recycle or try to sell your item. You’d be surprised on how much money you can make as many people like using them for parts. The main concept here is to keep it everyone safe including Mother Nature!
Check out the following electronic items you can (and should)recycle:
Computers (Laptops or PC)
Cell Phones
MP3 Players
Hand Held Devices
Batteries (Automotive, Personal, Cell)
Stereos
Printer Cartridges
DVD Players
Contributed by: Hillary Hansen