| If your computer broke tomorrow and it was beyond | | | | other environmental concerns are with toner or ink |
| repair, what would you do with it? Well chances are | | | | from printers, glass pieces from tiny light bulbs, and |
| that after slamming it against the wall in a fit of rage, | | | | other wires and metal pieces tangled inside every |
| you're going to throw it in the trashcan in your garage. | | | | computer. Luckily, there are companies that deal with |
| Alongside all the other non-recyclable trash your | | | | computer disposal or refurbishing to make your job a |
| household created this week, the trash men will come | | | | lot easier. If you feel the need to bash your computer |
| pick it up, condense it in their truck, and dump it into a | | | | against the wall in a fit of rage, simply wrap it up and |
| huge pile of waste. The huge pile of waste will be | | | | send it to a computer disposal company who will, |
| compacted even more, and then sent out to some | | | | oftentimes for free, properly dispose of your computer. |
| island where all the huge piles of your garbage go. | | | | If your computer stops working or you simply care to |
| Sounds simple, right? | | | | invest in an updated version, then there are companies |
| Sure, it's simple enough; until a bird lands on your | | | | who you can send it to who will pay you for the parts |
| crunched piece of laptop and dies from exposure to | | | | that are still useable and will refurbish the computer so |
| the acid that leaked out of the battery. Gasp! "Alright," | | | | they can re-sell it or donate it to a low-income family |
| you say to yourself, "I'll take the battery out and burn it | | | | or agency once it works again. |
| in my backyard instead of throwing it in the trash." Well | | | | One might think, "Well, I know of a charity that could |
| unless you'd like an explosion in your backyard, then no, | | | | really use my old computer. I will donate it on my own". |
| you should NOT burn any old battery solely because | | | | Not so fast, buddy. Donating an older computer to an |
| you know is it wrong to throw it in the trash. | | | | organization that you think could really use it doesn't |
| So what exactly do you do with this battery? How | | | | always work out so well. In many instances, the |
| about all the other parts of the computer that still | | | | computer will cease to work after a couple of months, |
| function? After you consider all of the minute details | | | | and the organization might have to spend more money |
| that go into making a computer work, and you realize | | | | to repair it. It is poor etiquette to donate something |
| that your computer might be broken beyond repair but | | | | when you are not quite sure of its value. If you'd rather |
| that the tiny pieces could function perfectly in someone | | | | not give cash, some businesses will take your old |
| else's computer, it seems like a big waste to be | | | | computer and send the cash value of its remaining |
| disposing of the entire thing with one careless toss into | | | | parts to an organization of your choice. |
| the garbage. Not only would you be polluting the | | | | The bottom line is that there are many different things |
| environment, adding to the amount of waste your | | | | you can and should do with a computer that you no |
| family creates, and putting innocent animals at danger | | | | longer want as your own. For the same reasons that |
| with the improper disposal of your computer, but you | | | | you taught your children how to recycle, that you turn |
| would also be wasting hundreds of dollars worth of | | | | off the lights when you leave a room, and because |
| useful items in a computer that can probably be | | | | you try to take only as much food as you are |
| refurbished anyways. | | | | prepared to eat at a buffet table, you should dispose |
| Aside from the battery leaking acid in a waste heap, | | | | of or recycle your PC properly. |