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.

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.

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.

According to the Greenpeace website, “Companies are scored on disclosure of their greenhouse gas emissions, commitment for absolute cuts in their own emissions and support for the mandatory global emissions reductions that are needed to tackle climate change. On energy efficiency, a selection of each company’s product range is assessed to see how far they exceed the current de-facto global standard, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star. Energy Star sets minimum standards for energy efficiency for many types of electronic products. The overall percentage of renewable energy in a companies total energy use is also assessed.

The climate impact is important, since the information and communications technology sector currently accounts for two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, equal to the aviation industry. Notes Greenpeace, “As one of the most innovative and fastest growing industries, the biggest electronics companies must show leadership in tackling climate change by reducing both their direct and indirect climate change footprint.”

Which Company Generates the Most E-Waste?

Philips scores well on chemicals and energy criteria, but scores a zero on e-waste since it has no global take-back polices. Greenpeace recommends that Philips establish an effective global take-back program to reduce the environmental impact of its e-waste.

The best performers on energy efficiency are Sony Ericsson and Apple, with all of their models meeting, and many exceeding, Energy Star requirements. Sony Ericsson stands out as the first company to score almost top marks on all of the chemicals criteria. With all new Sony Ericsson models being PVC-free, the company has also met the new chemicals criterion in the ranking, having already banned antimony, beryllium and phthalates from models launched since January 2008.

On the other hand, according to the Greenpeace analysis, Apple “missed a big chance” to advance its score by not improving the environmental performance of the new version of the iPhone.

  Some companies that promote their “green” policies come up short when measured against global standards of measuring impacts on climate change. Dell scored relatively poorly and Toshiba, Samsung and LGE scored close to, or zero, on climate change criteria.

Among the games console makers, Microsoft dropped to second bottom of the Guide with a low score on climate criteria. Nintendo’s score increased slightly over last year with some improvement on toxic chemicals and climate policy. However, even Nintendo’s relatively energy efficient Wii console does not meet Energy Star standards that cover minimum energy efficiency standards for PCs and consoles.

Notes Greenpeace, with most companies now scoring less than 5/10, only a company that phases out toxic chemicals, increases the recycling rate of e-waste, uses recycled materials in new products and reduces its impact on climate change can seriously hope to make the claim of being green. Companies that undergo life-cycle analysis of their entire production, distribution, and reclamation policy have the best shot at meeting this goal.

Read a snapshot of the report here.

Or peruse the full Guide to Greener Electronics report.

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