Recycle It: If your old device is no longer useful to you or to anyone else, the clear choice is to recycle. Even dead electronics contain certain components that can be harvested and re-used, and can often be done at no cost to you. The entrance to every BestBuy store has bins where customers can deposit inkjet cartridges, rechargeable batteries, cell phones, CDs/DVDs, PDAs and smartphones for recycling. It is a free service so be kind to our planet and deposit these items for recycling, rather than throwing them into the trash. BestBuy will also accept nearly everything else electronic, including tube TVs and monitors up to 32″, flat-panel TVs and monitors up to 60″, peripherals, DVD players, home and car audio equipment and cables. According to the store’s website, they will accept up to three items per household per day. There is a fee of ten dollars ($10) for recycling tube television sets, but the store will issue a $10 BestBuy Gift Card on the spot, so it is really a break-even option and you’ll be saving the earth from contamination since those older sets contain large quantities of lead, mercury and other toxins. Pass It Along: Your old iPod may not have enough space to store your growing music collection, but it may be just fine for a younger sibling, a spouse/partner or one of your parents. It is a great way to introduce Mom or Dad to a new technology that they wouldn’t necessarily spend for, but are very appreciative to have. It is also a good way to see if they’ll actually embrace and use the device before you spend money to buy them a newer model. My Dad absolutely loves his iPod Nano, and takes it to the gym every time he works out. While he cannot manage adding or removing music from the device, I pre-loaded his Nano with a library of songs that I know he likes, and taught him how to operate it. At Age 76, he thinks he’s really hip and shows off his iPod whenever he can. He has since inherited an iHome sound dock, which allows him to charge the device and listen to it when he is working in his home office. When I purchased a new printer that has wireless technology, Mom and Dad were the benefactors of the old HP LaserJet, which still works great and is perfectly suitable for their needs. Likewise, churches, schools and other non-profit organizations are usually happy to accept good working computer equipment, so it is worth making a few calls to find an organization that can put your old stuff to good use. Editor’s Note: This article was written by Bob Gurwin. Bob is an Assistant General Counsel for Platforms and Technologies in the Legal Department at AOL Inc. at the company’s offices in Dulles, Virginia, and is a self-professed tech geek and gadget head.
