10 Ways to Recycle your Gadgets

It’s all well and good getting these fancy energy saving gadgets, but what do we do with all the old gadgets we’ve got? Recycling electronic devices is not that easy, so here are 10 eco-friendly ways to recycle your gadgets rather than send them to landfill.

1. Sell your stuff on eBay – ok, so that’s an old tip, but it’s worth getting some cash for your gadgets first of all. The best form of recycling is reuse.
2. Swap your old mobile phone for cash – there are a number of companies who will give you money in return for your old mobile phone. There are lots to choose from, so shop around to find the one that pays the best!
3. Give your gadgets away to friends and family – if you know someone who’d appreciate something you no longer need, just give it to them. It’ll probably make their day, and your unwanted electronics get another use.
4. Give away your gadgets on Freecycle – If you’ve never heard of Freecycle, it’s basically a local group where you offer bulky items you no longer want for free. It’s designed to give items a second home that you couldn’t otherwise sell. So if you have no friends or family, Freecycle is a great option!
5. Send your stuff back to the Manufacturer – Companies such as Dell and Apple now have their own recycling programmes, where they’ll recycle your old computer or ipod for free.
6. Use a professional recycling service – this kind of service will safely and appropriately dispose of your electrical waste. Increasingly, there are tighter regulations for safe waste disposal, potentially resulting in large fines if you don’t comply.
7. Give your old computer another purpose – If you have a old computer, you could use it as a home server, photo frame or something else. Just be wary, old computers are not always that energy efficient.
8. Find a local recycling center myGreenElectronics and earth911 both have zip-code searches so that you can find local recycling points near you. The search results will tell you the type of facility (such as a charity, business, or service) and exactly what you can recycle there.
9. Ask for ideas – if you have something very specific to recycle, but have no idea on how to recycle, then just ask some fellow eco-enthusiasts how do I recycle this? You’ll get plenty of useful ideas on just about everything you can think of, and not just gadgets!
10. Turn your gadgets into furniture – if you’re slightly bonkers artistic, you could turn your old computers into furniture. It might not be very comfortable, but at least it’s eco friendly!