As new technologies continue to emerge, our piles of obsolete gadgets grow. While some choose to sit on their accumulated wealth outdated electronics for decades, others simply throw it away. Many of the materials found in consumer electronics, however, can have negative impact on the environment if improperly disposed of.
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Fortunately, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives that will enable you to clear some clutter with a clear conscience, some of which can even save you money.
So before you bid your old smartphone or game console adieu, consider one these e-cycling solutions.
Drop-Off Locations
The most effective way to remove junk electronics from your life is to simply bring it all to someone who can handle the disposal for you. A number of resources can be found online that will point you in the direction of an e-cycler, but how do you choose? Your first stop should be e-Stewards.org.
The thing about e-Stewards is that any registered recyclers within the network meet a certain set of specifications. Your recyclables won't be shipped out to a developing nation, where they can create more problems than they fix, and all certified recyclers must adhere to a strict set of standards laid out on the e-Stewards website. The downside is the network isn't too widely spread, so there's a chance you won't find any convenient location to bring your stuff to. Your best bet is to check the e-Stewards Recyclers locations page.
Alternatively, the EPA website is a great resource for learning more about e-cycling and finding dropoff locations near you while MRM Recycling is another nationwide service with drop-off locations of its own.
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Alternatively, you can just go to Best Buy. The stores might not be as ubiquitous as Starbucks, but most of us have easy enough access. Best Buy gets a round of applause from world-saving hippies for its forward-thinking recycling program. In every location you'll find a row of clearly marked dump bins where you can easily deposit ink toner cartridges, batteries, wires, cords and disc-based media with minimal human contact.
You can also bring larger stuff in to be dealt with, though there are a few restrictions laid out on the website. These basically amount to most household appliances and TVs larger than 32". Also, front and rear projection TVs are a no-no. There's a $10 charge for TVs, CRTs and monitors (unless they're Best Buy private label products), but you get a $10 Best Buy gift card in return. There are a few other rules as well, such as how much you can bring in, but that varies by location. Your best bet is to head over to the website and select your state from the clearly visible dropdown menu to figure out what the rules are. Staples also offers on-site electronics recycling.
Going Online
Maybe your car is busted. Or non-existent. Or you're lazy. And mass transit isn't an option... because you're lazy. Fret not, friends. The Internet is here to save you again.
Most electronics manufacturers offer some sort of recycling program for their old or broken products. It's free too in most cases, and you can sometimes even earn added benefits. Take Apple, for instance. The company's recycling program offers you money off on a replacement purchase/upgrade when you trade in your obsolete equipment. You can actually send in any computer, Mac or PC, and receive a gift card that is good for Apple products in return.
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It's not just Apple though. Basically any tech company you can think of offers recycling options for no cost or a minimal fee. Dell takes just about anything computer-related, along with -- thanks to a deal with Microsoft -- Xbox 360 game consoles and other MS products. Toshiba is a unique one; like Apple, you actually stand to earn some money off your next Toshiba purchase with a recycled item. The best bet if you want to go the first-party recycling route is to head to the company website for your product of choice.
The Alternatives
For some of us, the idea of simply discarding this old equipment -- even with the knowledge that it's going to be properly recycled -- is not an attractive proposition. No need to psychoanalyze, you've surely got your reasons. You've also got some options.
The first of which should be: donations. If your old equipment is simply old or potentially fixable and not flat-out broken, do a good deed and give it up to someone who might actually find a use for it. You'll want to wipe clean any data storage devices first, of course, but that's a small amount of effort for putting your old, useless technology in a position to actually be of some use again.
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The National Cristina Foundation is one such organization. You fill out a form on the website detailing what you're donating and how you can be contacted. Your equipment is then "placed" with a local concern that has a need --desktops, notebooks, printers, peripherals and software all fall under the Cristina umbrella -- a process that takes roughly two weeks. Usually your equipment is then picked up without you having to lift a finger. Once your donation has reached its destination, a letter is sent to you detailing what was donated. The World Computer Exchange provides a similar service, for computer equipment as well.
Then again, this is the Internet. Somewhere, somehow, for some unknown reason, at least one person is out there and willing to pay for your crap. Amazon zShops and eBay are perfectly viable options, though you won't feel the same sense of doing something good for the world that you'd get from donating. Alternatively, you can hit up Gazelle.
Gazelle is a place you can go on the Internet to "get cash for your gadgets," as the website states. It's pretty simple. You go there and type in the name of the device you're looking to sell. Once you've reached the right product page, you answer a few questions about the item and Gazelle then makes you a cash offer. If you accept it, you're sent a shipping label; then all you have to do is box the thing up and send it out, free of charge. Once your item gets there, Gazelle examines the item and raises or lowers the offer if there's any discrepancy. Payment is then sent out within the week.
