How to Recycle The Old Electronics Your Found During Your Move
Our Houston movers have seen it all and they will tell you that there is a solution for all your old boxed up electronics! If your electronics are all sitting in the garage and collecting dust, here are your best options: – See more at: http://www.3menmovers.com/houston/blog/2015/02/11/how-to-recycle-old-gadgets/#sthash.u0GXCtng.dpuf
Moving? How to Recycle Old Gadgets
Are you packing for a move, and have suddenly felt like you might be a good candidate for the “Hoarders” TV show? You are quickly realizing that every closet and junk drawer in the house seems to have an old gadget you have been meaning to do something with at a later time. Now, looking at the embarrassingly large pile of odds and ends, your stomach has turned thinking about all those things sitting in a landfill for the next few centuries. Fortunately, recycling these items is a lot easier than you probably think. Our Houston movers have seen it all and they will tell you that there is a solution for all your old boxed up electronics! If your electronics are all sitting in the garage and collecting dust, here are your best options:
Learn how to easily and safely recycle your old electronics. From donation to locating your nearest recycling options, we’ve got you covered.
Recycle
No one has to tell you that Americans throw away millions of tons of electronics every year. So, where does it all go? Well, it certainly does not just decompose like the cardboard box these things came in. According to Greenpeace, it is often exported illegally, dumped in landfills, or incinerated. If you are thinking incineration sounds like a good idea, think again. This process releases cadmium, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals into the air.
You know you don’t want to throw these gadgets away, but you also know you can’t just sneak them in the recycling bin and hope someone else takes care of them. Years ago, recycling electronics was a giant pain. Today, it is easy to find a place where you can dump these items.
Turn those old phones into cash with SellCell.com. You can also sell phones and tablets at Gazelle.com. If you have cameras, audio equipment, laptops, and other electronics, BuyMyTronics.com is a great source, as well. In fact, there are plenty of places online similar to these options. Best Buy generally takes a wide variety of electronics, and sometimes, cities or counties schedule drop-offs for these things throughout the year. You can also go to RecyclingCenters.org for a list of recycling centers near you.
Donate
What’s old to you could be new and exciting to someone else. The average American replaces their cell phone every 18 months even though there is nothing wrong with it. There are homeless shelters and battered women shelters, as well as programs for seniors and soldiers that you can donate your working phone to. Old computers, televisions, DVD players, and other electronics can be donated to your local Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc.
Swap
Nearly every city has local swaps, whether you know about them, or not. There are often closed swap groups on Facebook, too. You can sell your working items to someone local. Just make sure you meet in a safe place. If you have a lot of nonworking items, list them as free. Someone may be interested in fixing, refurbishing, or using them as parts. You could list them on Craigslist, as well.