random thoughts on railroad photography, railfanning, technology, and such

Entries in Recycling (1)

Monday
Mar082010

Green is Good - For the Environment and For Your Pocket!

Being the technology nut that I am, I have numerous older models of personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones, laptop computers, and game consoles stored in the garage.  In part because I hate to throw out things that I might be able to re-use at some point, but also because of the disposal issues associated with electronic devices and their components, I have been resistant to getting rid of my “collection.”  Well, things are different these days.

The element of potential technological value has been greatly reduced due to the factors of Moore’s Law and the commoditization of devices such as computers, laptops, and cell phones.  It is so much cheaper to get a new one today rather than bring an older device up to snuff to be a productive component in almost any endeavour.

As for the disposal issue and its effect on the environment, a new breed of businesses have filled that gap.  Not only will these companies responsibly recycle your old devices, they will even give you fair market value for them.  One such company that I intend on trying out is Gazelle.

According to their website, Gazelle is the “nation’s largest reCommerce company.”  They provide a means to resell or recycle those old (to you) devices and put some money in your pocket as well.  Based on their demo video below, the process seems rather simple and good for everyone involved.

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