GeekSugar

What Electronics Can Be Recycled?

GeekSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:01:16 PDT

You can't escape the grocery, electronics or movie rental store without seeing a small cell recycling drop box, but how can you dispose of larger, more ecologically dangerous gadgets? Electronics companies have - or been forced to! - put considerable resources into making their products recyclable. A handful of states have even passed laws that require companies to take back their goods (Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Sony all do so at no charge), but you can always be green by selling or gifting the item, or giving it to a reuse effort.

To get the scoop on electronics that can be recycled,

Accepted AT All Locations	Accepted AT Most Locations	Rarely Accepted
Computer Monitors CPU's (Central Processing Units) Televisions with Cathode Ray Tubes and Flat Panel Displays Printers Laptops Cables Keyboards Mouses	Answering Machines Camcorders Compact Disc Players Copiers Duplicators Electric Typewriters Fax Machines Hard Drives Mobile Phones Modems Pagers Printed Circuit Boards Radios Remote Controls Stereos Tape Players Telephones Telephone Equipment VCRs Word Processors Batteries PDAs Games (Video)	Microwaves Smoke Detectors Large Household Appliances (Refrigerators, Washing Machines, and Air Conditioners) Toasters Fans Vacuum Cleaners Lamps Specialty Cookers

This list is based on data from the EPA. Check out the EPA's guide to where you can donate or recycle your electronics.

Ask a Geek Girl: What Do I Do With My Old iPod?

GeekSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:45:01 PDT

For this installment of Ask a Geek Girl, TeamSugar user amers230 asks what she should do with her old iPod, now that she's received the new iPod of her dreams:

As a special surprise for my birthday my parents bought me the new iPod I've wanted for forever. Now that I have my 80GB Classic, I have no use for my 3-year-old 20GB. Thing is, I'm not sure what to do with it now. I'm asking around to see if any friends or family want it, but no one really is interested. I could just sell it on eBay for five or ten bucks, but I was really wondering if anyone knows of some sort of donation center.

To see my answer, just

I'm glad you're asking about recycling your iPod, since you'd be surprised how many people just toss them in the trash and end up polluting the earth. Thankfully, I have a couple donation options for you. First off, Apple offers a free recycling program throughout all of their retail stores in the US. Just drop off your old iPod to your nearest Apple Store, and in addition to saving Mother Earth, you'll get a cool 10 percent off of your next iPod purchase.

If you want to donate your old player to charity, I'd check out RecyclingForCharities. Not only can you donate your iPod, but you can also send in your old computers, cell phones, printers, digital cameras, and PDA's to a charity of your choice. Just print out your shipping label and fill out your tax forms (since donating your electronics is tax deductible), and off they go!

Has anyone else donated your old electronics? Tell us what service you used in the comments below!

Source

How to Properly Recycle Your Gadgets

GeekSugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:00:15 PST

The holidays are arguably the most common electronics upgrade season of the year, which means plenty of people will be getting new shiny gadgets and recycling their old ones. Activists estimate that 50–80 percent of the 300 to 400 thousand tons of electronics collected for recycling in the US each year ends up overseas, meaning they probably aren't being recycled the way we imagine.

"Workers in countries such as China, India, and Nigeria then use hammers, gas burners, and their bare hands to extract metals, glass, and other recyclables, exposing themselves and the environment to a cocktail of toxic chemicals," according to AP. Almost as troubling is the volume of used electronics that don't make it to any recycling plant. Here's more:

Most of the 2 million tons of old electronics discarded annually by Americans goes to US landfills, according to US Environmental Protection Agency data. But a growing number of states are banning such waste from landfills, which could drive more waste into the recycling stream and fuel exports, activists say.

Wondering how you can responsibly recycle your electronic goods?

Give them back to the maker!: According to AP, eight states, including five this year, have passed laws that require companies to take back their goods. Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Sony all take back their products at no charge. Some require consumers to mail in their old gear, while others have drop-off centers.
Sell it!: Just because you are finished with a computer, MP3 player, or camera doesn't mean someone else won't love it. After erasing your device's memory you can sell it on Craigslist or Amazon. If you don't feel comfortable selling it online, give it to a family member who doesn't have a computer.
Give it to a reuse effort: Recycles.org is an nonprofit service project that serves as a regional and nationwide exchange board directly connecting those wishing to dispose of computers and nonprofit organizations in need. The service is free and simple to use, making it easy to keep good technology out of the waste stream by putting it back into productivity.

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Take Care Of Your E-Waste This Earth Day

GeekSugar — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 10:00:37 PDT

Today is Earth Day, which means you should take the time to do a thorough E-waste spring cleaning! Did you know that every year more than 3.2 million tons of electronic waste is disposed in landfills? When computers, TVs and cell phones go to landfills, they can leak lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, chromium, and many other toxic materials into drinking water and have serious effects on our health. Thankfully companies like Sharp Electronics are celebrating Earth Day for the entire month of April. For all customers who buy a new Sharp LCD TV (measuring at least 37 inches), Sharp will recycle their old TV for free. When your new TV is delivered, the company will even pick up your old one. Do your part this Earth Day (and everyday) to preserve and conserve our planet. Below are some tips and suggestions to help you go gadget green this Earth Day!

Reuse and Recycle Your Gadgets Try re-using old computers and cell phones by giving them to a younger sibling or friend. You can even donate them to a local organization or a church or school. Do a bit of research and see if there is a recycling service in your community. If you exercise all of the options above and decide that you must dispose your electronics, make sure that you do not give anything to a recycler who ships waste overseas; as this just transfers the problem elsewhere.
Check out E-Waste Recycling Sites For more info, visit great NGO computer donation and recycling sites like: Used Computer, Share Technology and Earth 911

Source

9 Ways to Brighten Your May

SavvySugar — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:52:14 PDT

After plenty of false starts, warmer weather is finally making an appearance in most of the US. But it can be hard to get into the Spring spirit when you're stuck inside working all day - recycled air and the bluish glow of your computer screen don't exactly scream springtime. Read on for ways to take advantage of the season this month, even if you're chained to your desk.

5 Ways to Make Fitness More Eco-Friendly

Michele Foley — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:38:05 PDT

With Earth Day a few days away, there's never been a better time to think about ways to green your fitness. Here are ways to tweak your daily habits just a little bit to do your part to reduce, recycle, and reuse.

Exercise outdoors: Skip the treadmill, stair climber, or stationary bike and go outside. You'll save money, reduce your consumption of energy and materials, and cut back on transportation usage and cost.
Make meals greener: There are several ways to make mealtime more eco-friendly. Save money and avoid wasteful to-go containers by packing lunch in reusable BPA-free containers; avoid produce that's high in pesticides and buy organic and local produce; and even if you're not a vegetarian, help the environment by cutting back on meat and having meat-free days once or twice a week.
Choose the right materials: When shopping for fitness gear, look for products made with recycled or renewable materials. Take it a step further and buy from companies that make a point to offset their carbon footprint.
Use less energy: Reducing how many things you turn on and switch off is a no-brainer, but use Earth Day as an excuse to really unplug. Reducing energy has its health benefits too: taking the stairs is a great way to burn calories, and turning off your computer or TV is a great way to destress and increase social interaction. Try biking to work, and if you can't get outdoors for your workout, rent fitness DVDs from the library.
DIY fitness gear: Cut way back on materials and production costs by doing it yourself! Make your own hand sanitizer, yoga mat cleaner, and produce wash and turn an old pair of jeans into a yoga mat bag.

Tips For Recycling Your Electronics

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:21:41 PDT

We talk all year about properly recycling your gadgets, but since we officially kick off Earth month today, it's the perfect time to remind you about the different ways to recycle, donate, and get some cash back from your old gadgets. It only takes a few minutes to help others and Mother Earth, so read on!

Find a location near you - To ensure electronics don't end up in landfills or otherwise improperly disposed, find a certified e-waste recycler near you, who can properly strip devices of their recyclable parts. 1800Recycling.com provides nationwide resources. It can also be as easy as searching Google or Yelp for organizations that will recycle and delete sensitive information from your goods.
Get some cash back with Ebay's Instant Sale - Just answer a few questions about the gadget you want to pawn and Ebay will give you an instant offer, even paying your shipping costs, so you can just click "accept" and go. Once you send in your tired gadget, Ebay will properly recycle it and deposit cash into your PayPal account. Easy, fast, and truly eases the stress on Mother Earth. How can you go wrong?
Trade it in through Verizon - This four-step trade-in process first appraises your device, makes an offer, arranges shipping options, and then pays you for your trade-in. Start the process online by choosing your device (either by list or by photo) and answer questions like, "Can the device make outbound calls?" and, "Does the display work?" Verizon then gives you a trade-in value, with the option to either accept it or decline it. Older models may be appraised at no value but give you the option to donate the phone to a charity in need through Verizon's HopeLine program.
Drop it off at Best Buy - Picking up your new phone from Best Buy? On your way out you can toss your old phone in one of its electronic recycling bins, along with any other computer or component items that are just lying around your house. A clean house is a happy house.
Sell it - My Boneyard makes recycling your phone a no-brainer: just register your phone online, then pop your phone in the prepaid envelope you'll receive in the mail, and send it back. You may even get a cash reward (that you can keep, or donate to charity).
Give it back to the manufacturer - Many technology manufacturers offer recycling of their own goods. Dell, Samsung, and Apple are among those that offer recycling solutions, and sometimes a discount on future goods, to customers.
Donate - Donate old computers to schools in need and charity organizations like Goodwill, which uses an online donation calculator to immediately show how the product will benefit the community.

21 Disposable Products You Can Reuse

Wise Bread — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:39 PDT

Even when the product is supposedly "disposable," you can always reuse it. Wise Bread shares awesome ways to reuse these 21 disposable products.

It’s said that we live in a disposable society. But the word "disposable" is a misnomer. Disposable is considered throwaway, something you use once and dump, regardless of the life that may be left in it. As a frugal shopper with a concern for the state of our environment, I think that just won’t do.

I often reuse many so-called “onetime-use” items, and I asked friends, family, and colleagues to tell me which disposable items they squeeze more life from. Here’s my list, including some of the surprising ideas I was given.

RELATED: 25 Things to Throw Out Today

1. Butter Wrappers

If you’re like most people, you unwrap your butter, pop the stick into your handy holder, and throw the wrapper away. But wait a second - instead of trashing the wrappers, keep them in a sandwich bag. The next time you need to grease a baking tray or dish, you’ve got something all ready to go.

Read on for more.

How To: Get Your iPad Ready For Resale

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:35:28 PST

The iPad 3 (or iPad HD is being announced tomorrow, and if you're ready to upgrade from your first-gen iPad or iPad 2, now's the time to sell. But before you post a listing on Craigslist or eBay, get all your ducks in a row first. Here's a few tips on how to prep your gadget for resale, and get top dollar for your efforts.

Back up your data and do a clean sweep - First thing's first - make sure you connect your iPad to iTunes and back up all of your data. You'll be able to sync it with your new iPad after you bring it home. And just like a computer, before you sell your old tablet, you'll want to wipe it clean of any sensitive information, apps, and contact lists. Erasing all of your content and settings (go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) is great, but go ahead and perform a full restore in iTunes as well.
Polish the exterior - Cleaning your old iPad is kind of like cleaning your LCD monitor - you don't want to use any harsh chemicals or, even more damaging, water. Using a tried-and-tested cleaner like iKlear ($30) will ensure you won't damage your iPad's sensitive bits. Use the included microfiber cloth (or one of your own) and shine that baby up.

To see the rest of my list, including tips on how to get your gadget sold quickly online, just keep reading.

Love Your Laptop: 8 Tips For Keeping it Healthy and Happy

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:23:02 PST

Valentine's Day doesn't just have to be about giving affection to your significant other. It can be about showing your appreciation for the people and things that make your life awesome. Take your laptop, for example. Your window to the vast Internet, your laptop works really hard for you without asking much in return. Give your laptop a little TLC this Valentine's Day with these tips that will keep it happy and healthy all year long.

Clean it up - Giving your laptop (or desktop) a thorough cleaning is essential to extending its life. Back up any data you may already have stored (on an external hard drive or a portable flash drive), organize your desktop icons, empty your computer's trash on a regular basis, and clear out any programs you don't use. This will help free up space and keep you on the fast track to productivity.
Practice proper shutdown habits - Shutting down all open programs and putting your laptop to sleep instead of just closing the lid will help your computer stay cool and safe while in transport. But if you've had your laptop in a cold environment, let it warm up to room temps slowly before turning it on. This will keep condensation and dew at bay, which can ruin your computer's sensitive guts.
Protect your investment - If you're going to be lugging a laptop around, make sure it's protected in a padded case!

See the rest of my tips after the jump.