Reich Consulting PC and Network Support in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania

Responsibly Disposing of Computer Equipment

It's a sad fact of life that, as an unrepentant geek, it's not always possible for me to balance my love of technology with my desire to keep the natural world as healthy as possible. Most of our electronic devices have become cheaper to replace than to repair; and many devices that can be repaired on a budget, such as desktop computers, will still have a limited useful lifespan.

Most electronics contain components that are at best non biodegradable and at worst toxic for our environment. What's a geek to do? Some states in the U.S. have laws against dropping garbage electronics (called e-waste) in landfills; as for those that aren't yet enforcing e-waste recycling at the state level I'll say this: just because you can dump your electronics doesn't mean you should. But I'm not here to lecture anyone on environmental responsibility. For those of you that want to do right by your planet, I wrote this article to suggest ways to recycle, reduce, or reuse your computer equipment and other electronics.

The Three R's Revisited

Remember the Three R's? Recycle, Reduce, and Reuse. Some time between the inception of this campaign and the present we've forgotten about reduction and reuse, two methods of waste reduction that are actually preferred over recycling. The theory is that if more products are reused then fewer will need to be manufactured, and thus over time we'll have less waste to worry about recycling or dumping in a landfill. So let's discuss a few ways to reuse and reduce electronic waste.

Don't Buy Junk: Buy Quality Products

My parent's have owned the same Kirby vacuum since before my birth some 25 years ago, and now that same vacuum has been passed down to me. The vacuum was a quality product because it was built both strong and simple, so repairs are rare but can often be made at home when they become necessary. My parents keep two vacuums in their house, one for each floor and the Kirby, which stays upstairs, has remained loyal until recently when the power button came loose. The downstairs sweeper has been replaced several times and the sum cost of those replacements far outweighs the price of the Kirby twenty years ago.

You're probably not here to discuss vacuums, so I'll get to the point: sometimes you should consider the extra money you might spend on a quality product an investment, not an added expense. Choose a retailer that values quality, and don't base your purchasing decisions solely on price. When it comes to computers, this might mean buying an $800.00 computer system over the $350 bargain model. In my experience, the cheap computers you find at retailers like Wal-Mart as well as Dell's sub $400 systems aren't worth the cardboard they're shipped in. Do your research before you spend your money on any electronic device or appliance.

Sell Your Used Electronics and Appliances

As the old saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Just because you no longer find a product useful doesn't mean it's not exactly what someone else has been looking for. Selling your electronics and appliances is a perfectly acceptable way to extend their useful lifespan, thus reducing consumption of new electronics and, eventually, harmful e-waste. A certain big name retailer is already embracing the resale of used electronics. You can try selling your used devices in the classifieds section of your local newspaper, one of many Internet classified ad sites such as craigslist or Oodle, or of course eBay.

Conversely, the next time you want to buy electronics or appliances, consider buying them used from the sources mentioned above.

Donate or "Freecycle" Your Stuff

Someone is always willing to take your junk if the prices is right, and free is right for just about anyone. When selling your electronics doesn't pan out or simply isn't worth your time, consider making a donation. Your donation may be tax deductible, and you can find solace in the fact that a product for which you paid good money isn't going to waste.

For a minimum of fuss, find out if you can donate your electronics at a local thrift store, such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Ask local schools and community services such are your fire department if they are in need, or use the Internet to connect with someone in need. Ebay's Rethink Initiative is designed to do just that; Earth 911 can also help you find a local donation center; and believe it or not, our own U.S. government isn't completely useless when it comes to helping you recycle your electronics.

A newish movement, called freecycling has embraced the idea of reuse by creating a network of some 4.3 million individuals that prefer to trade their stuff with other like-minded individuals. The Freecycle Network's mission statement explains the movement far better than I possibly can:

"Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."

A Word of Caution: Wipe Your Hard Drives Before Donation or Sale

It would be completely irresponsible of me to advocate the donation or sale of your old computers without telling you to wipe your hard drives before parting ways with your old PC. One reason to wipe your drives is because, by passing on a hard drive full of software, you'll be breaking the legally binding license agreements for most of your software. After all, you'd hate to rip off a poor, defenseless multi-billion dollar software company. If you must pass on your PC with software, load it with a free operating system such as Ubuntu Linux. Open source software is a fantastic way to breath new life into old hardware.

If you choose to simply wipe your hard drives, don't just reformat them: nuke them! If you simply reformat your hard drive data is still (somewhat) easily recoverable. Run a utility such as Darik's Book & Nuke which will overwrite your whole hard drive with random data, making your old data completely unrecognizable to the recipient of your old computer.

Recycling : Your Last Resort

If your electronics can't be repaired, reused, or repurposed then it's time for you to think about recycling. I publish the following recommendation begrudgingly: Earth 911 is a search engine that helps you find a local recycling center that will accept whatever it is you want to recycle. It's a fantastic resource, and I say I mention it begrudgingly because I was working on a service just like it when a friend sent me the link. Another fantastic service is the UNICOR Recycling Program offered by the federal prison system. Not only do they take your outdated or broken computer equipment, you'll also be helping the inmates to perform a valuable service to the community while serving their time. At first I was skeptical, as any fan of the HBO series Oz would be. After all, computers have a seemingly infinite number of components that could be turned into a make-shift shank. But as it turns out, UNICOR's recycling program is a fantastic service. Our local facility even destroys your hard drives using a custom-build hydraulic press before recycling or repurposing your hardware.

Conclusion

The American economy--actually, the American way of life--revolves around consumption. If you're a geek like me you're probably not an exception to this rule. After all, IT just isn't fun when you can't constantly play with new, bleeding edge technology. But we can all do so responsibly by incorporating the the philosophy of recycling, reduction, and reuse into our lives. Buy quality goods that will last as long as possible. When your working gadgets reach the end of their useful life cycle, consider sale, donation, or "freecycling" them. If your electronics are not in a reusable condition, keep them out of landfills by sending them to an E-Waste recycling center.

About Brian Reich

Brian Reich is the computer consultant from central Pennsylvania. he specializes in computer repair, tech support, and has a love-hate relationship with the Internet.