Recycling old tech

"Greener" disposal of computers, cell phones, cameras, MP3 players By Rick Castellini Chances are that you or someone you know received a technology related gift this year. New cameras, mp3 players, portable DVD players, GPS devices, and of course, computers, topped many gift lists this year. Now, the difficult decision regarding what to do with the old devices these new ones are replacing rears its head. This decision is important because many environmentally unfriendly ingredients make up our favorite technology gadgets . heavy metals, plastics, toxic chemicals and more. Unfortunately, many people simply chuck the old devices in the garbage where they can take literally thousands of years to decay. And even more unfortunate is the fact that many discarded devices still offer some useful value, either through the reuse of an older device or through recycling. Don't toss it donate it! Currently, there are no curb-side tech recycling programs for homes, but there are many recycling options available from many different sources. One of my favorite ways to recycle old tech gifts is giving them away, if they are still in usable shape. Donating a working monitor or older computer to a local charity or Goodwill/Salvation Army-type collection center is a great way to give someone who is just starting in technology a good, inexpensive alternative to buying new. In some busy neighborhoods, you could also try setting out large items like computers, monitors, or printers on your sidewalk . someone will assuredly stop and pick the item up and put it to use. Or, put your items up for sale in a local garage or yard sale. Don't forget this step! When you decide to donate or give your computer away, it is vital that you erase your hard drive so know Internet or personal information is left for the new owner. This can be accomplished one of three ways: 1.Use Recovery CDs that may have come with your computer to restore the system back to its original status. 2. Use a tool like Actives Free Kill Disk Hard Drive Cleaner (http://kafmradio.org/) 3. Physically remove the hard drive from the computer and donate without ahard drive. In this day and age of identity theft, don't forget to complete this important step before recycling your computer. Check if the company recycles Formal recycling programs for tech items are hosted by some of the big tech names, such as Dell, Hewlett Packard, and even eBay. Some are free, some require you to buy a product from the company before recycling your older item, and others charge a small fee to take care of the shipping and handling. Read about the options available to you from the following sites: Dell http://tinyurl.com/2npqu2http://tinyurl.com/2npqu2 HP http://tinyurl.com/4tjkvhttp://tinyurl.com/4tjkv eBay http://rethink.ebay.com/http://rethink.ebay.com/ For smaller items like cell phones, mp3 players, and GPS devices, the eBay site offers many great options. Cellular phones can be recycled for free through programs offered at Sprint and Verizon. They offer small postage-paid envelopes that you can put your old cell phone in and send it to a recycling agency. It isn't always easy being tech green The term e-waste (electronic waste) has been assigned to the massive amount of computers, cell phones and other electronics that are taken out of service or disposed of every day. Learning about options that keep these devices out of landfills and in the hands of people who can use them or at least recycle them is important to keeping our soil, air and water cleaner. Recycling does not require much effort, and extending the life of our tech gadgets makes good sense for everyone. Rick Castellini is an author, computer consultant, and hosts a nationally syndicated computer radio show from Colorado. Visit his web site at www.HelpMeRick.comwww.HelpMeRick.com for new tips every week and sign up for his free weekly email newsletter.