According to the EPA, “an estimated 130,000 computers were discarded everyday in 2005″. But where and how can one responsibly discard their old, used, or outdated PC equipment? Let’s take a look below at some of our options.
There are several solid choices, including:
a refurbisher - they will upgrade or fix used computers, and then donate them to a local school or nonprofit, visit techsoup or electronics recycling for a local refurbisher
a manufacturer – check out Computer Takeback for manufacturer programs
local office supply reailer – Staples will recycle your used PC for a $10 fee
local recycling plant – at earth911 anyone can find their local recycling station and find out details on what exactly is picked up and when
art muse – (my fave eco friendly solution) many creative folks will take “your trash” and turn it into a one-a-kind work of art, as evidenced in my many posts at eco blog keetsa showcasing a keyboard clock, circuit board keychains, mousepads, you name it, artists will take your old PC and its components and transform it into something new
With a little bit of research, creativity, and leg work, you can find an earth friendly solution for that no-longer used computer tower, monitor, laptop, keyboard, and other electronics.
As you may (or may not know) today is, Blog Action Day, and the topic is the environment, a topic i pretty much already blog about daily. This is an annual virtual event created by two big-time bloggers to raise awareness of the serious issues facing our planet, and to create a big conversation.
Thanxs for reading this post and feel free to comment and join in on the global conversation taking place today for Mother Earth.
Source: [NewsWeek Magazine, Oct.8]
This is excellent! I’ve been reading Blog Action Day posts all day, and I didn’t see any other posts on this topic.
I love your recycle post for Blog Action Day. Thanks so much for supporting this important day for our environment.
Great post. I had no idea about some of those recycling options, particularly the art.
bobbie: thanxs! i too have been reading alot of the Blog Action Day posts. some real goods ones out today. thanxs for your visit.
recycle cindy: im glad to have participated, i actually almost forgot, and when i went to BC, i remembered, came back, and made my post. ooops! love your site and your crafty work. very cool stuff.
alan: it is amazing what some folks can do with recycled pc parts and other items, the creativity totally amazes and delights me. i’m glad you dropped by.
Excellent, Missy! And I love that clock! (I might make one myself, and add an extra hour to it by including the ‘escape’ key
Great ideas. I’m interested in donating my old pc to a school now or maybe a course that needs donations so the students can learn how the inside of a pc works.
thanxs for coming by claire and jos. i appreciate it.
jos—i like your idea on adding another hour to the clock. hehe. me too.
claire: you should look into it, im sure there is need. many schools usually cant afford a pc for every student or teacher. great use for an old pc. good thinking.
I think I’ll finally take my drawer full of old expansion cards to be recycled, for some reason I can’t just throw them away and they’ve been there for months!
Andy Bailey’s last blog post..easy ecommerce, AJAX and professional designs
hi—-andy: hey im glad you dropped by, i love the following about you:
your sites name – fiddyp (love that)
your sites tagline – get hits or die tryin (hehe. me too)
your latest wp plugin- CommentLuv (very neat idea)
and since you are the first to leave me a comment after i installed the plug-in, i can now see it in action on my blog, too cool.
thanxs for stopping by, do come again.
Oh my god… I had to register to leave a comment… lol
Excellent Post. I think I might have to link to you on this. Great to know where I can send off old computers and electronics.
jollygreengirl’s last blog post..Travel and Leisure’s November Issue: Eco-friendly and Responsible Traveling
p.s. Love the plugin btw…
jollygreengirl’s last blog post..Travel and Leisure’s November Issue: Eco-friendly and Responsible Traveling
hi—susie: you know i just enabled registration cause of spam. im bummed how much of it i receive and thought maybe if i enable registration, it will curtail the spam. i acutally just enabled it like tuesday of this week, so we will see if it keeps the spammers out. if not, i iwll disable it. will see how it goes.
thanxs for indulging me and registering, appreciate it. and you’re right the plug-in by fiddyp is……..sweeeeet!
This is a good idea, I had no idea there were so many computers being trashed every year. Great post and good luck to you!
<em>Personal Finance Blog’s last blog post..</em><a href=’http://personalfinanceresources.com/197/amortization-calculator-with-additional-payments-applied/’>Amortization Calculator with Additional Payments Applied</a>
Wow, didnt know there was that much computer equipment being disposed of. Thanks for those recycling tips
King Vanlines’s last blog post..Picking a Washington Moving Company
Local electronic recycling is available in many locations. Being a computer repair facility, I get a lot of old computers, printers, monitors, etc. Every month or so, I load of the truck for a trip to the landfil where an electronic recycling service accepts old computers and other electronic equipment. It’s a little sad so much gets through away since it is cheaper and easier to replace than repair.
I think all local electronic shops should have some sort of recycling program in place. It’s just too easy nowadays not to.
Thanxs for the visit!
Very interesting post. Might be old, but it was new to me. Good thing you have come up with such blog! Highly recommended! Keep it up!
Have you seen those computers turned into wonderful aquariums? – fantastic stuff