It's Earth Day -- so don't just toss your old computer!

It's Earth Day today, and the consumer electronics industry isn't above a little shameless self-promotion to show off their green cred. And, we have to admit, recycling your old gear is a lot better than just tossing it into the basement -- or worse, a landfill. So follow the examples of these companies, and make your gear green!

• Apple Computer will pay for shipping and environmentally friendly disposal of any old computer with the purchase of a new Mac from the company's retail or online stores. So, if you're a switcher, you can now let Apple deal with getting rid of that old Windows box, and if you're upgrading, Apple will give that old Quadra a proper send-off.
•  Sprint Nextel will spring for shipping and recycling or disposal of any brand of cellphone -- and you don't even need to buy anything. Just grab a prepaid mailing label from Sprint's web site, stuff your phone in an envelope and send it off. So forget about the sentimental value already and send off that MicroTAC.
  
• Verizon Wireless will also accept any old cellphone for recycling -- but you have to bring it into one of their stores. But, hey, at least they're trying.
• CTIA has more info about cellphone recycling programs nationwide.
• Dell offers something called the Asset Recovery Program. It's similar to Apple's plan, but it's only good for corporate customers. So, if you're an IT manager and you're about to upgrade, get Dell to clear out your old stuff, dude.
• Staples will give you $30 worth of coupons if you drop off an old computer for recycling -- at least at certain Chicago-area stores. We hope the coupons are good on items like recycled printer paper, so you can double your greenie points.
• 100 Percent Day is a project sponsored by Microsoft, Intel, the US Chamber of Commerce and others with the goal of collecting 100,000 computers for recycling -- today. The project's web site has a list of dropoff locations where you can bring your gear.
• For more ideas, visit the official Earth Day web site.

[billy @ Apr 22nd 2006 7:40AM]

ill take anything with a p3 in it, need more linux :D
Also 19-21" CRT's

Such a waste of good hardware getting destroyed by thease things


:(

[strider_mt2k @ Apr 22nd 2006 8:51AM]

I killed several dinosaurs today and threw them in a pit.

Look, we have to start making new oil NOW people!!

[Victor @ Apr 22nd 2006 9:05AM]

I'd love another CRT, I'm looking to make my beauty a dual monitor....

[ImJasonH @ Apr 22nd 2006 9:12AM]

I don't think there's any shortage of nerds who would gladly accept a free computer, even if it's old (sometimes ESPECIALLY IF it's old)

I know I'd take one or two (or fifty)

And then there's this guy: http://stonesoup.esd.ornl.gov/

[Brooklyn @ Apr 22nd 2006 10:54AM]

There is not a single drop off point for recycling in all of New York City. If they are serious about this, how can they skip over the largest city in the country?

[Edwin @ Apr 22nd 2006 11:28AM]

We had a free landfill day in our city so I tossed a 10 year POS that the only thing I saved was the 6GB HD from :O. Am I going to hell?

[Kris Aubuchon @ Apr 22nd 2006 11:43AM]

Don't toss it! - Send it to me so I can complete the mother brain! Seriously, contact me.

[Udayan Tripathi @ Apr 22nd 2006 11:46AM]

Is it easy to combine old machines into a supercomputer type machine? That is a possibility, or just gutting the internals for useful components like RAM, HDD to add to a new machine.

Of course this misses out the point that there still is no real plan in the UK. We have a place in North London that is run by Barnet Council but companies couldn't care less.

[Mike @ Apr 22nd 2006 12:48PM]

I have some working 4-86s in my basement (66 & 100 mhz) I would recycle them, but pretty soon (if not already) I could probably sell them as vintage or antique :-P

[thefultonhow @ Apr 22nd 2006 12:48PM]

If you're in or near Salt Lake City, I'm helping run an electronic reycling event today from 1-5pm. It's in the Rice-Eccles Stadium parking lot on the U of Utah campus.

More info: http://www.utahtc.org/

[lucas @ Apr 22nd 2006 1:32PM]

HAHA yeah right....

Send your computer to dell and microsoft so they can dump it in a landfill on the other side of the world. But hey, at least it wont be here, right?

[quis @ Apr 22nd 2006 1:34PM]

Building a supercomputer from old machines:
http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/homepage/staff/seti/farms.htm

[srw985 @ Apr 22nd 2006 2:02PM]

i hope those staples coupons are also printed on recyled paper!

[Distant_guy @ Apr 22nd 2006 4:08PM]

Sony stores offer cash for old laptops and other electronic/computer equipment. Since Sony sucks (CD drm, etc.) go get some cash from them for your old junk, then spend it elsewhere!

[BobbyMike @ Apr 22nd 2006 5:36PM]

Don't forget Freecycle. Most areas have local chapters. I've gotten rid of old stuff I didn't want, and picked up other people's old stuff.

[Matt @ Apr 22nd 2006 5:51PM]

Oh, that 100 percent day is going to recycle them? So, I can't bring my old 75 mhz pentium computer into Goodwill to recyle? I don't think they want it.

[Matt @ Apr 22nd 2006 5:56PM]

Those farms/stacks are quite clever!

[shawn @ Apr 22nd 2006 8:33PM]

what about freegeek.org? there are different free geek locations around the US

[Ender Wiggin @ Aug 24th 2008 9:35PM]

I'm throwing away a motherboard that had an x486 DX (16 and 33 Megahertz) processor in it. Maybe I'll give to one of these companies

On another note. This could be an amazing excuse to upgrade! "But I HAVE to get a new computer! If I don't Dell or Apple won't take my old one!"

[Johntron @ Apr 22nd 2006 11:22PM]

You can also make things like a gateway firewall from it using *nix. Check out my project on instructables: http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/AFCA33B4197E10299AD7001143E7E506/

[Matt @ Apr 22nd 2006 11:27PM]

I am glad to see these companies are trying

[Matthias Welsh @ Apr 22nd 2006 11:36PM]

I'll pay for shipping for any computer running windows 98+ =D.

[Tushar Kapila @ Apr 23rd 2006 3:22AM]

please send a 10-15 Win NT with service packs and win office loaded to

Village: Haryana
District: Hosyarpur
State: Punjab
India

Thank you

Tushar G Kapila
[e-mail]
http://tusharkapila.org

( - *** (: ILU Princy :) *** - )

[Magallanes @ Apr 23rd 2006 11:21PM]

Yesterday i BUY($70) 3 "tossed" computer from USA, a pentium-3 with 128mb ram, just enough for put win2k "barely legal" ;-) for my little cybercafe (1 dollar x hour fare)



When you give for recicle some computer then they will made business with it, selling it for a poor country, so there was not a "good samaritan" on it, its all business, specially DELL, IBM and COMPAQ.

[Perrey Z. @ Apr 24th 2006 7:40AM]

I applaud the actions of all of thouse willing to recycle their old hardware., And i'm very happy to know corporations are participating in this type of program.

If i knew a recycle center for this type of things aswell as old audio and video equiptment, i would do my part, sadly there isn't a place like that where i live.

It's just like Brooklyn Comment #5 said; how in the world the politicians and enviromentals expect US to do our part? If there aren't recycle centers in the big cities we simply cannot do it, even if we wanted to.

We all have to do our part, politicians, corporatiosn and individuals, this is not a "you do it and i won't" thing, we all breath the same air, and we all use the same resources.

[mallu @ Jul 27th 2006 2:28PM]

I use E-Tech Recycling Inc for all my electronics recycling needs. They recycle computers, monitors, printers etc. I think they are doing a great service for humanity. Unlike some recyclers that ship their items to other countries, they recycle their entire item within USA. For more information visit them at www.etechrecycling.com