How to Safely Get Rid of an Old Computer

How to Safely Get Rid of an Old Computer

1. Check your local phone book - there are recycling facilities in several cities. Websites such as those listed below may also have valuable information. These organizations donate computers or computer parts to educational institutions. There are similar websites all over the Internet.
2. Attempt to sell your computer on eBay or Craigslist.org. You might be surprised to discover that someone out there will actually pay for your old bucket of bits.
3. Ask around to see if any of your friends are looking for an older computer. Some tech-savvy people use extra computers for print servers or e-mail stations.
4. Give it to your parents or grandparents and teach them how to use email and surf the web. Old, slow computers work well at these basic tasks.
5. Donate it to a local school or charity. A database of charities looking for old computers is available at Share the Technology (link provided below).
6. Consider donating it to the nonprofit Computer Recycling Center (also listed below). They accept all computers, network equipment, and telephones (whether they are working or not). In addition, they will provide you with a receipt of your donation for a tax deduction.
7. Turn your old computer over to the manufacturer when you buy a new one. Companies such as Dell and HP will now recycle your old computer for free when you buy a new one from them.
8. Pay for a profit recycling firm to have your PC taken off your hands and recycled responsibly.
9. Put a sign on your computer saying "Free old computer - good for parts or case," and leave it out front on a dry afternoon, or offer it on Freecycle.org.
10. Keep the old computer around as a backup.
11. If you are disposing of a number of similarly cased computers, you might consider being creative and using them as oversize building blocks. The plastic or metal cases can be connected with Superglue and they can be painted in a bright manner. You can build a small decorative wall, or perhaps a playhouse for the kids in your own backyard.

Read entire article for more tips: http://wiki.ehow.com/Safely-Get-Rid-of-an-Old-Computer