Did you know that throwing away your computers, TVs, cell phones, printers—any consumer electronics—as if it were regular trash is hazardous to your health and the environment? Instead, reuse or recycle your old, broken, or otherwise unwanted gadgets—you could even get a tax break by doing so!
TO REUSE:
1. If the item is still working, see if someone you know could make use of it. Expand your inner circle by logging onto to trading websites, such as www.craigslist.org or www.freecycle.org.
2. Donate electronics that are in good, working order to a local school or any other institution that might be able to use of it. You can also give your gadgets to a nonprofit, thrift shop, or the Salvation Army.
3. Can you possibly upgrade or repair your equipment, then continue to use it yourself? Maybe you can at least salvage some of its parts.
TO RECYCLE:
1. First, check the manufacturer's website. Many electronics companies have instituted recycling programs and can offer valuable information or even take care of the job for you. Some companies will even pick up your old equipment. Apple, Dell, Gateway, Hewlitt Packard, and Sony are some big-name brands who offer recycling programs.
2. Check with your local retailer. Best Buy, for example, lets you drop off old cell phones, inkjet cartidges, and rechargeable batteries. They even offer labeled envelopes that you can take home, save, and use later to mail out your old inkjet cartidges.
3. Find a recycling program in your area. Log on to www.mygreenelectronics.org and use their zip code search engine to find a local program or private recycler in your neighborhood.
4. Sign up for the newsletter at www.mygreenelectronics.org and learn about electronics recycling events happening in your area.
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