Green Living: a series in which we provide tips to help you implement practices, habits, and products into your life which respect and work towards the redemption of God’s creation.

 

Do you have old technology lying around? Perhaps an obsolete cell phone, a broken printer, or an extra television that you have been holding on to for 20 years just in case you needed it?

Often we have a hard time parting with this technology that held a special place in our hearts and probably set us back a pretty penny.

Take this guy for example. This IBM Model 5100 was the world’s first “portable” computer. It weighed in at about 55 pounds, boasted a 5 inch screen, and could be loaded with up to 64K of RAM (yes, you read that right). Depending on your configuration this baby would have set you back between $8,000 and $20,000. When we spend that kind of money on items we tend to want to hold onto it.

The downside of this is that we often find ourselves storing old items just because we don’t know what to do with them. At some point, however, we realize that we absolutely must dispose of them. But what do you do with e-waste (electronic items that are to be disposed of because they are obsolete, broken, etc) like this?

 

First, do not dump them in the trash. Many of these items contain materials that can contaminate the environment if dumped in landfills. Additionally, there are many valuable elements in these electronics that can be salvaged and used again.

imageSecond, consider if someone else could benefit from the item. We often replace cell phones, televisions, microwaves, MP3 players, etc even though they still work. If the item is still functional, consider selling or donating it to someone that might be able to get more use out of it. You can sell you products via Ebay, Craigslist, or even a garage sale. When donating consider giving it via Freecycle or the Goodwill. You can also give it to a family member, friend, or local charity.

Third, if there is no other way this item can be reused or repurposed, then recycle it. Keep in mind that not just any recycling center will accept e-waste. Be sure to check with you local recycling center or hazardous waste collection center. Also, many companies like Best Buy now accept some e-waste (although sometimes they will only swap your e-waste in exchange for a new purchase). If you are having trouble finding a place to recycle your items, be sure to check out Earth 911 which helps you find recycling centers for specific items in your area.

- – Don’t forget to remove your data before recycling it – -

 

I leave you with a list of some things that can be considered e-waste. Happy recycling.

  • Alarm clocks
  • CD players, DVD players, VCRs, etc
  • Cell phones
  • Computers, laptops, etc
  • Digital Cameras
  • Digital Thermometers
  • MP3 players
  • Phones
  • PDAs
  • Printers
  • Radios
  • Stereos
  • TVs
  • Video Game systems & accessories

 

Also consider:

#10 Repairing

Eco Anecdotes: St Mark Presbyterian Church

 

 

* Image of IBM Model 5100 from http://oldcomputers.net/

* Image of Garage Sale sign from Home Depot