E-Liminate E-Waste

Who doesn’t want the new iPhone?  I know my kids have waited in line a time or two for the newest PlayStation or Xbox.  Are the differences really that great?  What happens to our old phone or gaming platform?  I don’t think we really know or think about it often enough.  Here are some tips that will help us all be a little more careful with our e-waste.

• Use products until they no longer function. Be careful to not throw out a perfectly good cell phone because a new model is available.
• Buy previously-owned phones, computers and cameras. Most are now available with a manufacturer certification.
• Recycle responsibly. Visit the e-stewards.org site to find out if your recycler is recycling responsibly.
• Recycle or refill empty ink cartridges. This is easy to do, saves you money and does not create more e-waste.
• When it is not cost prohibitive and the repair is not too extensive; repair instead of replace any electronic device or part.
• If you must replace a perfectly good device, donate or sell it. Many folks are on a budget and will gladly use the iPhone version 5 instead of 6.  Money in your pocket and greater use of an electronic gadget.

Let’s remember to care for our planet.