Correctly Recycling Your Old Computer

If you've finally decided that attempting to sell your old hunk-of-junk computer (whether on eBay or Craigslist, or whatever else you've tried) simply isn't working out and you just want it to get rid of it, here's a few things to keep in mind when deciding how to recycle it:

Your first step should ALWAYS be this:

Either completely reformat or remove your hard drive. Chances are you've entered some sort of personal information into it (a credit card number, social security, etc.) at one point or another. If you remove or format the hard drive, this information clearly won't be available to anyone else. Believe it or not, there are some shady characters out there who claim to "recycle computers" when they are, in reality, scammers who know how to burrow deep into your computer's past and find all sorts of information they can use for their own personal gain.

Once you've got this step out of the way, there's all sorts of things you can do with it. There's also things you shouldn't do with it...

List of DO's

1.) Advertise it in a local paper:
Offer the computer free. Instead of the hassle of recycling it, you can have someone simply come to your home and pick it up. It will go to good use and it's convenient for you.

2.) Give it away to some kind of event that is collecting old computers. (I know the local church was collecting old computers to raise money for something not too long ago) You can feel great knowing you helped an important cause with very little effort on your part.

3.) Donate the computer to a school or charity.
There are lots of different organizations that are constantly looking for computers of any sort. Check on CraigsList and your local swap-sheet type newspapers.

4.) Recycle your computer efficiently and a computer recycling plant. These can be tough to find (I'm lucky to have one only a few miles away from home) but they are well worth the trip. This is so much better for the environment than simply tossing the machine out by the corner with your trash cans on trash day. This also helps to ensure nobody will be messing around looking for old information on your computer.

List of DON'Ts

1.) Never try to bury your computer. You may be laughing at this option, but there are plenty of people who bury trash. Believe it or not, the computer contains all sorts of harmful chemicals that can easily damage plant and animal life after a rain in the area of the buried computer.

2.) Never burn your computer. Again, this is an effective way to get rid of some types of trash, but trash that will emit toxins is certainly not the right type. There is also a possibility of explosion.This should be avoided at all costs.

3.) Never dump the old machine in any body of water. Using water to dispose of anything isn't smart. It will never break down, it will never go away, it will only hurt the ecosystem.

Be smart. Be green. Dispose of your computer correctly.