Buying New Electronics? Recycle Your Old Ones!

Time to recycle old electronics

Now that its almost Christmas, its time to consider what you are doing with your gifts.  No, not the brand new ones.  I’m talking about the computers, cell phones, video game consoles, and mP3 players you received 2 or 3 years ago that are now obsolete.

If there’s one thing I hate about electronics is that they are designed to be out of date within 1-2 years.  If they didn’t contain heavy metals and if more people recycled them, I’d have less of a problem.  If you are buying new electronics, why not recycle your old ones?

Recycling electronics these days goes far beyond just cell phones.  Here’s a quick list of what you can do to help the environment when you are buying new electronics:

• Return cell phones to manufacturers, or donate to charity.
• Send back iPods to Apple for recycling.
• Keep old TVs out of landfills by taking them to an e-cycling facility.
• If you have other e-waste and old computers, find stores like Best Buy and Staples that offer recycling programs.
• Search Earth 911′s database to find recycling locations across the U.S.

Think before you buy new electronics this holiday season.  If you can extend the life of your gadgets, you can help save the environment!  But, if they are truly no longer functional, then be sure to find a qualified electronics recycling station to keep lead and other heavy metals and chemicals out of the landfills.

Be a responsible consumer this Christmas!