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March 31, 2008
Recycle Your Computer for a Greener Tomorrow
April 22nd, 2008 will mark the 38th anniversary of the first Earth Day--April 22, 1970. For those of us old enough to remember, the first Earth Day was celebrated with spirited walks and demonstrations across our country, accompanied by promises to clean up the Earth. I first became aware of the environment after reading Rachel Carson's Silent Spring when I was about 10. Along with my classmates, I put on my earth shoes and walked the streets of Stamford, picking up litter and other debris. My friends and I were passionate about our mission to clean up the Earth. Over the years since, I have been a faithful recycler at home, separating paper trash from recyclable items, turning off lights when not in use, and keeping the heat to a minimum whenever possible during the winter months. But, back in the 70's, I didn't own even one computer, let alone several, and, like many of you, I'm now faced with the issue of what to do with old, out-of-date computers. It doesn't take a degree in environmental science to figure out that disposing of your old computer at the local dump is probably not the best idea. So, what to do? Well, here are some suggestions for those of you who, like me, remain passionate about preserving the Earth.
- Check with local non-profit groups in your community. Only good for computers with life left in them, charitable donations are a good way to give back to your community while taking care of Mother Earth. Here in Darien, organizations like Person-to-Person and the Darien Senior Center may be interested in your old computer, but be sure to call first.
- Check with your computer's manufacturer. Many major manufacturers--Dell, Gateway, HP, and Apple for example--offer free or low-cost recycling programs. Recently, the Library discarded several unusable computers, all Dells, and I was able to return them to Dell for free.
- Check with your local environmental group. Darien is fortunate to have an active environmental group right here in town. The Darien Environmental Group does a terrific job of informing the community of special collection days and other issues relating to the environmental health of our community. Each year the DEG provides the dates for the Hazardous Waste Collection in Town and other electronics collections open to Darien residents.
Posted by JudyS at March 31, 2008 10:36 AM
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