All too often, we let our old and out-dated technology sit unused for years and years. A lot of the time, it gets thrown away. I am guilty of this myself, as I am sure I can find a few used mobile phones in my desk or closet. Today, finding green alternatives for disposing of these items is easier than ever. As part of xlrINT's Green IT Initiative, we wanted to identify some of the alternatives that we use and recommend.
Recycling
Today, there are many business that recycle electronics, some even do this free of charge. This is a great option for older technology that is not worth trying to recommerce online. Big box stores like Best Buy, Office Depot, and many other local options offer to recycle computers, mobile phones, televisions, batteries, and other electronic products. One such option is Goodwill.
Goodwill, in partnership with Dell, has created a program called Reconnect. According to Goodwill,
"Since 2004, Goodwill Industries and Dell, Inc. have worked together to responsibly recycle unwanted electronics at no cost to the public. To date, the Reconnect partnership has collected more than 96 million pounds of electronics"
All you have to do is take your unwanted electronics (any brand or condition) to a participating Goodwill store or donation drop-off site. They will refurbish or recycle the equipment. Please visit the Reconnect Partnership website for a list of items they will accept.
These are just a few options you have, and with many being of no cost, there is no reason to not recycle old electronic equipment.
reCommerce
Some older technology, is still quite valuable in the marketplace. Ebay, Craigslist, and many others are places that people have gone to for years to sell, or reCommerce, their used technology. New sites have begun to crop up in recent years, allowing you to trade in your used technology. One such site is Gazelle.
I recently used Gazelle, to trade in a 1st generation Kindle, and a 1st generation Apple TV. Gazelle makes the process of trading in your used electronics as simple as possible. First, search for your device. Once you find the device you want to trade in, you answer a few questions about the condition of the device. Questions such as:
- What is the condition of the device?
- Do you have the AC Adapter?
- Do you have the original box?
- Do you have all included cables?
After you answer all the questions, you are given a quote. According to Gazelle, they calculate their quote based on market factors. Here is what they say,
"We use patent pending technology and systems to fuel our pricing engine. Market data is gathered and analyzed. Based on your description of an item, we make the best offer possible: the Gazelle Value.
Lock in your Gazelle Value today and send your item to us in the next 30 days to ensure the best possible price."
Once you accept the offer, you can print a shipping label and packing instructions. Gazelle provides free shipping, all you have to do is box up your items, and ship them to Gazelle. When they receive your items, you can then follow the process of verification online. Once your items are verified by Gazelle, you get paid. You can choose to receive payment by check, gift card (such as Amazon), or to donate the money to charity.
My experience with Gazelle was very simple, and timely. I got my quote on a Sunday afternoon. Monday, I packaged my items, and shipped them to Gazelle free of charge via FedEx. They received them on Friday, and I received email notification that my items had arrived and were being inspected. On the following Monday, I received my Amazon gift card. In a week, I went from having two devices that I had not used in months, to an Amazon gift card.
Conclusions
Recycling and reCommerce of technology used to be a struggle, and costly. Today, there are so many options and alternatives that recycling and reCommerce of technology should be something every consumer and business does. Don't let your old technology pile up in a corner, or continue to collect dust. ReCommerce, or recycle it, today!
Have you ever recycled technology, or used a service like Gazelle? Let us know about your experience in the comments!
