How to Recycle or Donate your Unused Technology
Finally, after having gone missing for many long winter months the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and rain has replaced the snow. April is here, welcoming a new season, imprinting green on the minds of all Michiganders. April showers not only bring May flowers, but other things as well.
Lately, when one thinks of âgreen,â foliage, fruit, and frogs arenât the only things that come to mind. Green means sustainability. April 22 marks Earth Day, a day to celebrate our natural environment.
In honor of Earth Day and "going green" sustainability initiatives, Micro Visions, Inc. has several important tips for recycling your old technology. Curious about how to properly dispose of unused technology or how to donate your old computer? Here's how....
Individuals and businesses are finding new reasons to upgrade their technology every day. As thousands of people replace their computers daily, where does this old technology go? Recycling is one of the simplest ways to sustain the environment. It gives one the opportunity to reuse materials, but more importantly, it keeps excessive waste out of landfills. Owning a computer is a necessity in 2011 for education, and connecting others around the world. As this demand continues to increase, recycling or donating old equipment will help benefit communities in need of computer technology for education and communication.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Plug in to eCycling program, âRecycling one million desktop computers prevents the release of greenhouse gases equivalent to the annual emissions of 16,000 passenger cars."
Instead of throwing away your old technology equipment, find ways to recycle or donate them. Micro Visions, Inc. has tips for donating old equipment, and locations where you can do so. Join this critical act of recycling, and help bridge the gap between communities and the digital divide.
Recycling your Old Computers and Technology
Can your old computer be recycled?
What is the overall condition?
Do you have a complete system? (Mouse, keyboard, monitors, etc.)
What software and programs are currently on the hard drive?
What did you primarily use your system for?
Take a look at your system. There are several questions to address:
These questions will help determine if your old technology is suitable for donation or for recycling. Before making a decision, it is best to contact a local recycling center or an organization that specializes in refurbishing unused computers.
Contact a local recycling or refurbishing organization
Typically, if a computer that is less than 5 years old, it still has enough value to be recycled or passed along to another individual or organization. Instead of donating directly to a charity or nonprofit, consult a local recycler or a refurbish firm to take the correct next step. If youâre unsure about the condition of your system, or weary about your personal files still on the hard drive, the recycler/refurbisher will know how to property assess the situation. They can correctly wipe the hard drive and assess the usability of the system. Any materials inoperative or unusable can be properly disposed of.
Once you contact your local recycler/refurbisher, get the proper instructions for delivery and if they have any guidelines. Always address the question of equipment acceptance â will they accept your technology? Are they any fees? Does it need to have all of its parts? Once your bases are covered and equipment is dropped off, these organizations will properly recycle the parts, or donate the âready-to-useâ equipment to charities and nonprofits.
There are several places you can contact for assessment of your equipment. Follow the links at the bottom of this article.
Include All of Your Accessories
When donating your system, some organizations will only accept a âcompleteâ system. If you have monitors, keyboards, mice, hard drives, cables, modems, circuit boards, printers, software, etc., the next person to receive your old system can put it to good use.
Keep the Operating System Intact
If you have the original disks or software that came with your system, include them with your donation. Nonprofits and other organizations do not have the budget to purchase licenses; a legal transfer can be done with a complete donated system. To help expedite the legal transfer, any original media, disks, certificates, manuals, etc. will help.
Clear your Personal Files and Information
Reset your internet browser. This will delete cache, cookies, history and other traces of activity
Perform disc clean ups and run anti-virus to remove any spywre, malware, or other traces on your system
Uninstall downloaded programs
Always use disk-cleaning or âshreddingâ software. This erases or writes over data on your computer
Your personal information ranges from banking information, internet files such as cache, email contacts or messages, bookmarks, or personal documents, etc. Simply deleting your files or emptying your recycle bin will not permanently delete all personal information on your computer. Itâs important to take precautionary steps to avoid possible identity theft of your information.
Plan for Future Donatations
Plan for the next time you donate a computer. Keep a special box with all original software, rescue discs, manuals, cables and more. This way, the future donation process will be quick and familiar. Donât forget to record your donations as well, you may be eligible for a tax write-off.
If you have access to any unused technology, consider donating or recycling. Not only will you gain an opportunity to benefit individuals without access to digital means, but youâll produce less waste to fill landfills.
For more information, such as local recyclers in your area, visit these sites:
Drop Off Recycling Lcations: Dell Computers & Goodwill Industries Partnership for Recycling Computers
Comprenew Environmental - Local Electronic Waste Disposal
Best Buyâs Drop Off Recycling Program
Current Cash Value of your Old Technology
More Tips to "Go Green" and Location of Reuse Programs
Locations and Resources for Recycling
If you have anymore questions about recycling, or would like to learn more ways to "go green" in the office, check out April's addition of our monthly newsletter, The Vision.
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