Recently after purchasing a new mouse for my iMac, I realized just how many broken peripherals and electronics have been collecting dust in my house!
My family’s embarrassing collection includes 2 unused printers, a couple of broken DVD players, digital clock radio, a PDA, water damaged keyboard, and a whole whack load of broken, cordless phones!
If it were up to me alone, all these items would be thrown out by now. However, for one reason or another, they’re still here so it’s time for me to take action.
Solution #1: I could donate my items to the local Value Village. However, this solution seems pointless since half of the electronics are broken anyway. Eventually, if they are put out and purchased, savvy customers will return them, and they’ll eventually end up in a landfill! Not very environmental.
Solution #2: I googled “electronic recycling [name of my city]” and to my delight, my city is running electronic recycling events this week, at various locations.
Solution #2 seems like a better option to me. Not only can I do some Spring cleaning, by decluttering my house of unused, broken items; more importantly, I won’t be contributing to the local garbage heap!
In addition to temporary Earth Week recycling events, there may be even permanent, Community Recycling Centers that will accept your wares. While I was at a Staples today, I even noticed recycling boxes for items such as empty printer ink cartridges and cell phones.
So just a friendly reminder that if you have to get rid of some household electronics, whether obsolete or just plain broken, check out your municipality for an eco-friendly solution!
Happy Earth Day! 🙂
Try not to buy anything with plastics today. If you’re buying take-out food, recycle the cups, bags & wrappers. We are blessed with a gorgeous day today–HAPPY EARTH DAY!
I now recycle my electronics at Salvation Army instead of Value Village … from what I understand Sally Ann is a better Charity choice (V V apparently has a good percentage of their profits not go to charity)
http://www.freerecycling.ca/index.php
I good idea in theory, but I remember a documentary not long ago that said the majority of electronics that are recycled are simply mashed up, sold to a distributer, then put in a container and shipped overseas to a 3rd world country. The electronics eventually are reduced to their component elements under primitive conditions causing enormous local pollution problems and plenty of health problems to the unprotected workers.
If your local recycler has a viable alternative, fine. If not, aren’t we simply endorsing a NIMBY attitude and exporting our pollution to a country probably less well equipped to deal with it than ourselves. Though one could say that it many cases its’ simply returning to where it came from in the first place.
I work at Future Shop, and we will take in any old electronics free of charge any day. A lot of people don’t know that, and when I tell them they are surprised.
scrap yards in Montreal pay cash for old computers and electronics.
Staples also takes any old electronics and even printer ink cartridges.
Burlington Mall in Ontario this week has E-waste collection. In mall, April 25-27-small items at box by Guest Services. Large/bulk items, north parking lot on Sat & Sun (Apr.28-29).
So Skip, what should we do with our old electronics instead?
Also, Ikea stores have a drop off for used batteries and flourescent lights.
Good article on why we should recycle electronics: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/why-is-it-important-to-recycle-electronics-5929591.html