Electronics Recycling

[The Original OC Adventure]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

REcycle Small Electronics for Free by Mail:

This was announced in March, but the word has been slow to spread.



This would benefit those who don't want to try and sell their old items, or have a stash of phones that are ancient.

There's a beter way to dispose of old (working) cell phones. Donate them to your local domestic violence shelter. All cell phones can be used to call 911, even if the phone isn't activated.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by The Original OC Adventure

There's a beter way to dispose of old (working) cell phones. Donate them to your local domestic violence shelter. All cell phones can be used to call 911, even if the phone isn't activated.

That is a good idea, if the phone is new enough. Older phones are so outdated they won't work with the current network.

[Alex]

The benefit of most of these electronics recycling programs are that it makes it easier to ensure that rather than polluting our own landfills and run off water it ends up polluting the landfills (read: shantytowns) and run off of third-world countries.

Some good recycling does get done but mostly this electronic waste just moves downhill to poor countries where it will get processed cheaply and in not particularly clean ways.

[Pirate Bill]

In Portland we have a place called FreeGeek that is particular about keeping everything local so the recycled electronics do really get recycled or disposed of properly, and not in 3rd world countries.

They also will wipe or destroy hard drives for you. And I'd trust them. But I can't vouch for the legitimacy of other places. The reason I'd trust FreeGeek is because I've put in many Saturdays as a volunteer there and got to know them from the inside.

They have a store where old but useable electronics can find a second life. I've picked up some really cheap but still very good stuff there.

The place does smell like pee, but that's my only gripe.

[The Original OC Adventure]

Originally Posted by Pirate Bill

In Portland we have a place called FreeGeek that is particular about keeping everything local so the recycled electronics do really get recycled or disposed of properly, and not in 3rd world countries.

They also will wipe or destroy hard drives for you. And I'd trust them. But I can't vouch for the legitimacy of other places. The reason I'd trust FreeGeek is because I've put in many Saturdays as a volunteer there and got to know them from the inside.

They have a store where old but useable electronics can find a second life. I've picked up some really cheap but still very good stuff there.

The place does smell like pee, but that's my only gripe.

They have a program for low income people that gives them a free computer in exchange for some volunteer work.

I like the concept. I wish they had something like this in the L.A. area. So many here could benefit from it.

[Pirate Bill]

Originally Posted by The Original OC Adventure

They have a program for low income people that gives them a free computer in exchange for some volunteer work.

I like the concept. I wish they had something like this in the L.A. area. So many here could benefit from it.

Not just low income people. Anyone who puts in 24 volunteer hours gets a computer and a quick training course in how to use it. They also have a build program where they educate you on how to build a computer and you get to keep the 6th one you build. That program takes 80 to 100 hours to complete though, depending on your skill.