Is old electronic junk sitting around your house or office just cluttering up the place? Are you getting or giving new tech stuff for the holidays and already wondering what to do with the old stuff you’ll be left with? We’re partnering with GreenBuyBack.com to show you how to sell your old phones, electronics and other e-waste. Plus, during their holiday special, you’ll earn an extra $5 at check out when you sell old phones, electronics, and other e-gear.

Why GreenBuyBack.com?

GreenBuyBack.com buys old cell phones, tablets, smart watches and other devices, then gets them responsibly recycled. They make it incredibly easy for you to work with them because they not only give you a quote on what they’ll pay, but they also give you a free shipping label so it won’t cost you anything to send them your e-junk.

How easy is that?

Here’s the complete list of what GreenBuyBack.com buys:

There is no downside to checking with GreenBuyBack.com to see what you can sell your e-waste for. But the upsides are terrific.

You’ll get rid of all that e nonsense cluttering up your drawers.

You’ll make a little money.

You won’t throw that stuff in the trash.

E-waste is the fastest growing segment of the waste stream.

That means that all the heavy metals (think cadmium, mercury and lead) and plastic wiring and parts end up in our soil and water, and then you know what happens. Icky pollution. Contaminated groundwater. And just a big waste of all the resources used to produce the electronics in the first place.

Why would you trash the planet and throw away good money when you can sell old phones, electronics, and other devices to a company that will recycle them for you?

Give GreenBuyBack.com a try.

NOTE: We partner with companies like GreenBuyBack.com when they meet our strict standards for delivering quality green products and services. Our partners also help us deliver expert information at no additional cost to you. Our editorial opinions always remain our own. Thanks!

The post How to Sell Old Phones, Electronics? GreenBuyBack.com appeared first on Big Green Purse.

How many electronics cables do you have just lying around? Probably a lot! Worldwide, it’s estimated that we will throw away 40 million tons of electronic waste this year alone, including the wires and cables we use to charge our phones, power our computers, and keep entertainment centers, well, entertaining. We’ve teamed up with Eland Cables to explain why it’s so important to recycle old wires and cables rather than just throw them away.

Too Much Electronic Trash

Electronic waste is the fastest growing sector of the waste stream. In fact, 85% of our e-waste is sent to landfills and incinerators, and that’s not good for the planet. Electronics contain heavy metals and plastic made of various compounds that, as they break up over time, get released into the air, water and soil,potentially polluting the water we tap for drinking, washing and cleaning.

Communities are responding as the problem gets worse. Throwing e-waste away, even if it’s “only” electrical wires and cables, is illegal in the UK, much of Europe, and numerous jurisdictions in the United States.

Pollution aside, there’s another reason why it doesn’t make sense to trash e waste like wires and cables. They contain important and difficult to get metals like copper. Mining the copper needed to make cable pretty much destroys the environment around where the mines occur. Deep, open copper pits in places like Butte, Montana are infamous for how ugly, polluting and destructive they are.

Though other rare metals are used to manufacture wires and cable as well, copper is ultimately the most widely used electrical and electronic conductor on Earth. In the past few years, copper has become scarce, leading to higher prices, which in turns raises our cost of buying electronics, as well as more copper mines.

Recycling old wires and cables is one way to reclaim copper without all that environmental destruction.

How to Recycle Old Wires and Cables in Your Area

Recycle

Copper is selling for a little over $3 a pound. Any metal recycling center will be happy to accept your copper-cored wires, and the more the better. BestBuy, Staples and other stores that electronics will help out with electronics recycling, too.

In fact, they’ll accept most of your small electronics, in addition to wires and cables. You can also sell your used electronics here.

Reuse

Except for some Apple products, most of your home entertainment cords and cables can be used with other devices. For example, the cord I use to charge my Kindle Fire can also charge my Samsung Galaxy phone.

New electronics come with their own power cables but not necessarily HDMI or coax. It’s a good idea to keep one set of back-up cables you can use for your devices. Whatever you can’t reuse yourself, ask your friends and family if they can.

Donate

Many schools and non-profits happily accept electronics donations, even if all you have is the odd power cord or old Ethernet cable that wasn’t quite long enough.

STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – programs across the country are always looking for ways to save a buck on getting the items they need for their programs. Simply Google STEM or National Center for Electronics Recycling to find out what’s available in your area.

Last but not least, you can always visit Earth911 to learn more about where to recycle  electronics in your neighborhood.

NOTE: Paid partnerships enable us to bring you expert advice and information at no additional cost to you. Our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

The post Recycle Old Wires and Cables; They’re Worth a Lot of $$! appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Here’s the easiest way to sell your old cell phone
and small electronics.

Don’t give in to the temptation to just throw your electronic gear away.

√ For one thing, e-waste is the fastest growing part of the waste stream. Why add to the trash pile?

√ Second, most electronics contain valuable metals that can be reclaimed and recycled.

√ Third, many “old” electronics can be repaired, updated, and sent to people who can’t afford a brand new device, but would love to get their hands on anything that will make telecommunications possible for them. Some research institutions use old cell phones at their research stations,

√ And fourth, you can actually make money when you sell your old cell phone and small electronics to a company like Green Buyback, the sponsors for this post.

Green Buyback has compiled the following infographic to illustrate why keeping your electronics out of the trash makes such a difference.

Here’s how the Green Buyback system works:

1) Search Green Buyback’s data base to find your phone, tablet, or other small electronics (so, no televisions, fax machines, copiers, or computers). They buy back a wide variety of iPhones, iPads, iPods, Android devices, tablets, plus Fitbits, smart watches, and some video games. 

2) Get a free quote. You tell them what device you have to sell, they’ll tell you what they’ll pay you for it. (You can sell your old cell phone, something that’s brand new, or something that’s completely broken; just expect to be paid accordingly.) If you agree to the price, you’ll proceed to the checkout cart and fill out the required information.

3) Complete the checkout process. As soon as you do, you’ll be emailed a prepaid UPS label.

4) Pack your items in any box or padded envelope. Make sure to pack them so they don’t break en route.

5) Send the package to Green Buyback free of charge. Once they receive and process your items, they’ll pay you either by check or via PayPal.

You can get the specific details on how Green Buyback works here.

For larger or outdated electronics equipment, check with your local municipality for recycling information or contact charities that may wish to repair them and donate to individuals or organizations. Most cities and townships have specific instructions for recycling electronics equipment.

By the way, before you sell your old cell phone or other electronic device, make sure to swipe it clean first. These services can help.

Many thanks to Green Buyback for sponsoring this post to help you figure out how to sell your old cell phone and electronics. We appreciate our sponsors’ support; our editorial opinions remain our own.

The post The Easiest Way to Sell Your Old Cell Phone & Small Electronics appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Here’s my Top 10 “No Brainer” List of what you should be recycling today – and every day. I call them “no brainers” because they’re relatively easy to do in many communities, because it doesn’t cost you anything to do them, and because they have a big environmental impact.

1.  Newspapers and magazines (though to reduce how much you need to recycle, cancel subscriptions to magazines you don’t read, and read newspapers and magazines online when possible)

2. Junk mail, office paper, and catalogs (here’s how to reduce the amount of junk mail you get in the first place; reduce office paper waste by printing on both sides, circulating documents electronically rather than on hard copy, and using software to reduce excess paper use; here’s how to cut catalog overload)

3. Paper bags and packaging from the grocery store, hardware store, or department store (reduce paper packaging waste by using reusable shopping bags.)

4. Plastic bags (if your community recycling program won’t take them, most grocery stores that still use them now take them back. Avoid them in the first place by using reusable bags.)

5. Plastic milk jugs (choose paper cartons instead if those are easier to recycle where you live.)

6. Plastic juice and beverage bottles (choose glass or cans if those are easier to recycle where you live.)

7. Electronics, including computers, fax machines, and especially cell phones (Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples will recycle your electronics for you; most phone companies will take your old phone and recycle it.)

8. Aluminum cans (pretty much all aluminum cans can be recycled, including those that contained soda pop, alcoholic beverages, and energy drinks.)

9. Clothing (recycle your clothes by donating to charity, selling at thrift shops, giving to neighbors and friends, or repurposing them as rags and even pillow-stuffings; send your shoes to SolesforSouls.org)

10. Food (recycle food waste into compost, to use in fertilizing vegetable and flower beds, trees and bushes)

Want More Ideas?

Top Ten Ways to Control Catalog Overload

Recycling Your Computer Just Got Easier

How to Recycle CFLs

Can You Recycle Your Car?

America Recycles Day

What else do you recycle?

The post Top 10 “No-Brainer” Things You Should Recycle on America #RecyclesDay appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Greenpeace recently released its analysis of electronics manufacturers: Nokia and Sony Ericsson came out way ahead of the pack; Apple didn’t fare nearly as well. This excellent review from Inhabitat details the plusses and minuses of Apple’s overall approach to sustainability.

As for the iPad, we like that it  contains no arsenic, mercury, PVC, or BFR (brominated flame retardant), nasty toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other human health problems.  Jobs also claims the iPad is “highly recyclable” and features an energy-saving battery that can run for 10 hours on a single charge. That’s all good.

On the other hand, the gadget plays into a larger environmental problem: planned obsolescence, one that is not unique to Apple but perhaps best typified by it.  In order to rake in the highest profits possible, electronics companies usually design their products with a lifespan in mind. That’s the amount of time the product will function before it breaks or ceases to be compatible with current systems.  It’s also the amount of time before a new-and-improved incarnation (or “generation” in Apple-speak) is released.   There’s a reason the iPhone has been dubbed “a slam dunk of planned obsolescence” by CrunchGear’s Seth Porges.  Did you purchase one only to have a cheaper, better-equipped version be released not long after you bought the original?

We can already see the iPad’s trajectory. Within a year or two (if not sooner), the components on this geeky darling will no doubt start to wear out. Functionality will suffer. And not long after, Apple will unveil a newer, sleeker, shinier version that will be so irresistible, you’ll feel you just HAVE to have it.

Then what do you do with the “old” iPad? Many people will simply trash theirs. No wonder global e-waste (which also includes televisions, fax machines, computers and copiers) is forecast to reach 53 million metric tonnes by 2012.

Yes, the iPad is cool. It is hip. And for all the “early adopters” out there who are driving Apple’s markets, it’s probably nigh on irresistible.

But that sure doesn’t make it green.

Meanwhile, are you inspired to recycle? Start here.

The post Is the iPad just more e-waste? appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Trashing televisions adds to the mountains of garbage people throw away every day. Plus, tossing your tv releases toxic chemicals into the environment. On average, a television contains four to six pounds of lead, plus mercury and cadmium – all dangerous heavy metals that can pollute our drinking water if they get loose (as they inevitably will if they’re just thrown into a landfill).

What’s the alternative?

* Convert it. If your set is still in good working order, get a converter box so you can switch the set to digital cable. Until July 31, 2009, you can redeem a free government coupon worth $40 to help underwrite the cost of the converter box.

* Recycle it. Check locally to see if your state has established e-waste recycling centers.  For example, Washington state has had 200 collection points open since January that collect old televisions, computers, and monitors for free.  Maine and Oregon have similar programs and many other states will soon.  TIA E-Cycling Center lists municipal and private drop-off locations by state.

* Give it back. The manufacturer or retailer of your television set may reclaim and recycle it.  The U.S. EPA has created a partnership called Plug-in to eCycling which lists companies that recycle old electronics.  Sony, Sharp, Best Buy, Panasonic, and Wal-Mart are among the participating companies. Check out their website to see if the retailer or manufacturer who sold you your TV is on the list.

Earth911 links to more local television recycling options.

The EPA estimates that 99.1 million television sets sit in homes, unused, across the US.  If you consider that each one contains 5 pounds of lead on average, that’s nearly 500 million pounds of lead that could potentially end up in the environment.  No wonder trashing your tv is now illegal in many municipalities.

by Katie Kelleher

The post TV Recycling? Here’s How appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Eraseyourharddrive.com has the only “web-deployable” software on the market.  For $23.95, you can download and use the software without bothering with disks or wasteful packaging.

WipeDrive is a disk-based system available on Amazon.com for around $36.

Green Disk will do it for you for a fee, but you need to mail them your computer and other electronics.

Plus, remember when you replace your old equipment with the new, choose  energy-efficient electronics.  

The post Recycling Electronics? Swipe Them Clean First appeared first on Big Green Purse.

It doesn’t need to be so. Many “broken” computers can be repaired to extend their life; even if the entire computer can’t be saved, many parts can be recovered and re-used in another machine. My point: Don’t trash your computer; recycle it. Here’s how:

CHECK WITH GREENPEACE

Every year, the nonprofit citizen’s group evaluates the efforts computer manufacturers are making to reduce the toxic chemicals in their products and increase recycling. Before you buy, review your options and pick the most environmentally friendly option that meets your computing needs.

GIVE IT BACK

 HP has a trade-in program that accepts products from any manufacturer and gives you cash back when you purchase a new HP.  Their recycling program accepts HP equipment for free, and other brands for a nominal fee. The company has earned the EPA SmartWay certification by reducing the fuel consumption, greenhouse gases and other air emissions of its surface transportation carriers.  Take note: HP has recently fallen on the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics because the company says it will no longer honor a promise it  made to eliminate PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from their products by the end of 2009.

Dell has partnered with Staples to accept Dell products for recycling at all their locations. Dell’s exchange and trade-in program buys back old models of all types of electronics, regardless of manufacturer, and gives Dell gift cards to the customer in return.  Dell aims to reduce package size by 10% by 2012; achieve 75% curbside recyclability for packaging; and increase recycled content of laptop and desktop packaging 50%.  (I recently bought the Dell Studio Hybrid, which uses 80% less energy than a standard desktop hard drive and came in minimum packaging.) However, like HP, the company has backtracked on its commitment to eliminate PVC and BFRs in all products by the end of 2009.  In fact, Dell no longer has a timeline for eliminating these toxic substances – what’s it waiting for?

For any computer, search the corporate website for specific suggestions on how to recycle it.

Best Buy – Rather than hassle with a computer company, go to your nearest Best Buy. Why? “We’ll take just about anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, cell phones and more. You can bring in up to two items a day, per household, and most things are absolutely free. However, there is a $10 charge for TVs 32″ and under, CRTs, monitors and laptops — but we’ll give you a $10 Best Buy gift card to offset that cost.” That’s a pretty good deal.

Goodwill – Businesses and consumers can donate computers to Goodwill for recycling. Check with your local Goodwill office before dropping equipment off.

EBay.com, CraigsList.com, and FreeCycle.org – These sites also enable you to sell, trade or donate your computer rather than toss it in the trash.

Earth911.com enables you to find more local computer recycling locations.

DONATE

The National Cristina Foundation takes donated computers and matches them to charities, schools, and public agencies in need throughout the US and Canada.

GET PAID

Gazelle will pay you to recycle your e-waste.  Gazelle shows you how much your product is worth, sends you a box for free shipping, and upon receiving your product (assuming it is in proper condition), will mail you a check for its value.

BUY A SAFER COMPUTER

Apple is the only computer company among the top five that has freed its products of PVC and BFRs.  With the exception of PVC-free power cords, which they are working to certify, this is Apple’s greenest accomplishment.   Apple recycles electronics for all customers who purchase a new Apple or Mac product from any of their online or retail stores.  Once purchased, you receive a voucher for shipping any old electronic (regardless of brand) via FedEx.  Fewer restrictions apply to educational or business customers, and for those recycling iPods and cell phones, none of whom have to buy a new product as a prerequisite to their recycling.  There are no drop-off sites for e-recycling at any Apple stores.

How about a little more info?

Don’t miss this additional information on the environmental impacts of electronics.

Here are ten ways to make your computer more energy efficient.

Research by Katie Kelleher

The post Recycling Computers Locally and On-Line appeared first on Big Green Purse.

• Leave it behind when you buy a new phone. Sprint, Verizon,T-Mobile, AT&T, Nokia, and Motorola all participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Plug in to e-cycling” program and will accept any cell phone or PDA at any of their retail outlets.

• Take it to Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, or Radio Shack. Most outlets will have a box you can drop your phone in with absolutely no hassle.

*  Send it to Collective Good, a company that refurbishes the phones, re-sells them, and shares the profits with the charity of your choice. Address:

Collective Good International
Include Charity Code
5763 ARAPAHOE AVE STE G
Boulder, CO 80303-1350

Why bother? Every week, 3 million cell phones are thrown away. More than 1 billion used mobile phones clutter our shelves, take up space in our drawers or worse – are decaying in landfills.

Cell phones are constructed with a host of heavy metals – like antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc – that can pollute ground water and potentially cause cancer. Recovering those metals for re-use keeps them out of the environment and makes them available for reuse in other electronics manufacturing.

Have an APPLE I-Phone or IPOD you need to unload?   Apple’s Recycling Program provides prepaid mailing label you can download from the company website.

Recycle used phone batteries, too. The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Coalition links to 50,000 locations, including Target, Lowe’s Home Depot and Office Max.

Want more ways to recycle your phone? Here are 50, courtesy of VOIP.
.

Research by Rachel Goglia

The post Where Can You Recycle Cellphones? Everywhere. appeared first on Big Green Purse.

* Motorola’s MOTO W233 Renew – constructed of plastic made from recycled water bottles; can be completely recycled. Cost: $9.99 with a two-year contract; buy through T-Mobile. Comes in packaging made of 100% recycled paper; includes prepaid shipping envelope so you can easily recycle your old mobile phone. PLUS: Motorola pays to offset the carbon emissions created during manufacture and distribution, along with the first two years you use it. (Its carbon offset payments are going to support methane gas capture at a landfill in New Bedford, MA).

* Sony Ericsson’s GreenHeart – made with recycled biodegradable components; the charger uses a fraction of the electricity common chargers draw. NOTE: Sony Ericsson stood out in the 2008 Greenpeace Electronics Guide for banning hazardous chemicals in its products since the beginning of the year. In particular, the company’s T650i mobile phone and Pli PDA came out on top in Greenpeace’s Searching for Greener Electronics survey.

* Samsung’s Blue Earth solar-powered phone – made from recycled plastic and just darn pretty. According to the company, the phone and its high-efficiency charger contain none of the toxic chemicals often used in electronics, such as brominated flame retardants, beryllium or phthalates. My favorite feature? An “eco walk” function that lets you count your steps with a built-in pedometer so you can  also calculate how much less CO2 you’re using by walking as opposed to driving.

* ZTE, a Chinese manufacturer, and Digicel, a Latin American service provider, have teamed up behind what they say is the first solar-powered mobile phone. This is still in design, but when it’s on the market, it’s expected to appeal particularly to the 2 billion people in the world who have limited or no access to steady electricity supplies.

* Nokia released the 5630 Xpress Music Phone, along with a preloaded application called “we:offset” so users can measure their carbon emissions. Want to pay for the pollution you create? The company provides a link to an easy online form just for that purpose.

Though I welcome these product developments, I hope they don’t encourage any of you to shelve a perfectly good phone if you don’t have to. We’re adding more e-waste to trash than any other form of garbage. The longer we use the phones we have, the less electronic garbage we’ll have to clean up in the not-so-distant future.

The post “Green” Cell Phones Can Help Fight Climate Change appeared first on Big Green Purse.