Got Computer Recycling Tips ?

[ahhaa]

Thought there could be a thread on the many ways to keep computer gear out of our landfills...
please add your own as you see fit!

¢ If you go thru discs like I do, the cakebox cases make great stackable nail & screw storage systems.

¢ Stewie's Science Project: all those obsolete years of backups & linux downloads and whatever on CDs; I calculated I could build a solar furnace mirror 50 feet in diameter outta my whatsis excess! 8)

[DereX888]

IMHO this is excellent subject and thread has a potential.

My tip:
I got involved in some charity work for some community retirement center in my area, and since then we collect old computers from friends and whomever wants to donate them for old people, and every once a while I 'donate' a day of my time and set up all this junk to work properly (usually all they need is just setup an OS). I even got some old junk stores owners I knew to get involved in it, who supply us with i.e. old small memory chips they would have never sell today anyways, while i.e. additional 64MB SoDIMM of more RAM in an old laptop makes already a difference between non-usable junk and usable old computer...

Most of people don't know, that i.e. old Pentium II laptop can still be very useful even today as a simple email and web browsing device with Linux using any light GUI (or Windows 2000 or NT4 at worst if there is no choice) instead of ending up in a landfill and adding its share to land contamination.
There's no need for 64 bit dual cores and gigabytes of memory to make those old people happy - they obviously dont play games or such, all they need is to keep in touch with their families or see grandchildren's pictures on facebook

If you have an old computer you want to throw away - perhaps 'fix it' and give it to someone who don't have a computer yet, maybe an old neighbours or such, there *are* still people who won't buy the computer for whatever reason (usually the 'fear of new technology') but if you give it to them and show them how to use it, they may appreciate it.


/edit/
One more tip:

Very old computer can be set as an *excellent* and highly customizable home router and firewall.
I.e. Pentium 133MHz / 32MB RAM old computer can be a perfect router and firewall and an equivalent of NAS (network attached storage) for any home network with the use of i.e. FREESCO operating system based on linux (it is very simple and easy to set up, probably the easiest there is out there ATM). Once set it doesn't require monitor, keyboard, mouse etc etc (but it still remain accessible from other computer at home) and it'll run for years without problems.

[SCDVD]

The plastic used in cake boxes is highly recyclable. In most cities there are ways to get this material into the recycle channel. In some cases it's curb side recyclable pickup. In other cases, there are recycle drop points. The key is to find out in your location how to get it into the recycle channel. The worst thing to do is just throw it into you trash pickup.

[ahhaa]

D888- yeah, and they work even better as offline machines for scanning photos, desktop publishing, etc. Ditching the AV suite makes most machines pretty frisky, and most productivity software matured years ago.

SCDVD- sadly, in this area we had a recycling scandal, Reliable was picking up the recyclables, but then just dumping them anyway- cost too much to separate was their excuse... now we call'em Deniable,

[AlanHK]

Very old computer can be set as an *excellent* and highly customizable home router and firewall.

I really don't think that's worth the hassle. Very old PCs often don't have ethernet ports for a start, or at most one, and for the cost of buying a couple of ethernet cards that you'd need to make it into a router you can buy a simple non-wifi router with NAT and firewall, that will take up 1/10th the space, runs silently on 1/10th the power, simple web config. You can pick up 4-port ones for $20, used for $5.

Could make sense if you want to run a web/mail server, but just a router is uneconomic in any sense.

[Cole]

I read in the UK press that Robbie Williams's last album was such a flop that excess CDs were shipped to China where they were crushed and used to re-surface roads...

When I have replaced PC parts in the past I have been able to sell the old part very easily on ebay (providing, of course, that I have still got all of the drivers etc); or give to friends to update their PCs.

Things like PC cases are invariably metal anyway so easy to take to the council dump for recycling.

The only part that I have trouble with are cables.

[lordsmurf]

I used to recycle when possible, be it paper or plastic or computer parts.

[Forum Troll]

My cousin and his girlfriend just moved in together, and are strapped financially, and couldnt afford a new computer. So I dug into the back of my closet and resurrected an old 533 Mhz Compaq system a neighbot had given me. Added a CD-burner, 20 gb hard drive, 128 megs more of ram, network card, and windows 2000, and a 15" crt monitor. Even found a keyboard, mouse and speakers for it. Called my cousing and told him I had a computer he could have for free. He was shocked that someone would give him a free computer. So they came and got it, and took it home. They are in hog heaven, and can now email their parents back home in Washington (they were going to the library at the uinversity to do it..) So to a person who has no computer, what is junk to you and I, can be a wonderful and amazing gift.

[guns1inger]

I use old CDs to keep birds out from under the pergola and my mother uses them in the garden for the same thing. Most of my old kit ends up in someone else's computer during an emergency of some sort.

[ahhaa]

The most recycling impact you can have, is to give something that second use , especially if you can keep some other object (especially plastic) from needing to be made. How about shredders making paper mache?:]

[DereX888]

I used to recycle when possible, be it paper or plastic or computer parts.

Does that mean you don't anymore?
Because I don't - the cost of recycling tripled in past 2 years, and I certainly don't feel like I should pay even more (included in my last property tax hike) for cleaning up garbage produced by cheap chinese factories and brought up here by cheap retailers. I say ask Walmart to pay for recycling at least plastic crap in my city, don't ask me to clean up after them ever again

[lordsmurf]

There is physically nowhere to take recycling where I live. I'd have to spend a half tank (or more) of gas to drive to a location where they do. My waste of gas and added vehicle pollution sort of un-does any recycle benefit that may have been possible.

The last computer recycle center I called wanted me to pay them to recycle the pile of parts. **** that. I crammed it into my garbage can.

[redwudz]

I recently disposed of a vintage word processor with 12" B+W screen, a microwave oven, a 20lb audio amp and a AM/FM tuner, a very heavy SCSI scanner for $22US at our local recycling center. I believe that price to be entirely reasonable. The CRT by itself was $13US.

I have no idea what they do with them, but they didn't end up at the side of the road.

Most cities subsidize the cost of electronic waste disposal, so it's not that expensive. Still, it's better if the device can be used by someone instead and have a bit longer life and serve some purpose besides landfill fodder.

[John]

I always know somone who is looking for an old computer. I usually end up selling my old parts to a mate to upgrade his, and keep my upgrade costs down, that way we are both happy, usually im more happy.

[MJA]

I just leave things inside or next the recycle bin on pickup days. if the refuse that's fine with me I will put the thing in the trash.WM makes money from recycle so there is no reason to charge people for pickup

[SCDVD]

We have a technique that we use at work that works quite well for getting rid of old hardware. We put it next to our trash dumpster with a sign on it that says free. It is always picked up; I suspect mostly by salvagers. This works best in industrial zones where there are regular salvage trollers.

[hech54]

Every month or so a truck comes around to collect "electronic" stuff here where I live in Germany. If you can't wait....I can drive about 5 minutes from here and drop it off.
We also have recycling containers for paper, plastics(food containers and stuff) and brown, clear and green glass products.
Everything but the glass is collected every week.....same as the regular garbage....glass containers are emptied about every two weeks.