Recycling is not just about recycling cardboard and plastic. It is also really important to recycle electronics, especially considering how many electronic items we use and discard each year. If you have an old computer that you no longer use, do not send it the landfill. Your computer is filled with valuable and limited resources that can be recycled and reused again. 

Donate Your Computer

If your computer still works, but you have just upgraded to a nicer computer, one way to recycle your computer your computer is by donating it. There are lots of charitable organizations that can benefit from the use of a donated computer. They may use the computer for their own operational needs. Or they may fix up the computer and give it to other individuals who are in need of a computer, such as a student who is going to school and doesn't have a computer to do their work. Just because you are done with your computer doesn't mean that your computer is at the end of its usable lifecycle. 

See if there are any charitable organizations in your area that need a new laptop or redistribute computers to others in need.  

Recycle Your Computer

Most of the major computer companies as well as the stores that sell computers access computers for recycling purposes. Some companies will give you a credit for recycling your old computer with them. Some companies will pay you a small amount for your recycle donation. Other companies just offer you an opportunity to correctly recycle your computer.

These companies that accept computer and electronic donations will then take your computer and break down its parts. Your computer is full of many valuable resources that are actually limited and expensive. There are also components in your computer that can be toxic when left to degrade in a regular landfill. When you recycle your computer, you ensure that all the parts are reused correctly.

Before you either donate or recycle your computer, you should make sure that you clean up your computer. You should back up all of the content on your computer on an external hard drive. After that, you should wipe your computer clean and reset it to its factor defaults. You don't want to donate your computer by leave the password keychain to all of your websites intact. It is best to wipe your computer clean before you either donate or recycle it. 

Contact a business like Ranch Town Recycling Center Inc. for more details.