Donate or buy used electronics
I just discovered this amazing non-profit service after a major winter cleaning where I unearthed dozens upon dozens of "retired" electronic devices hiding all around my house, from old laptops to assorted music and video players to orphaned remote controls and charging cables. I took the whole trunkful to a Tech Dump location, expecting a messy warehouse staffed by harried volunteers. Instead, I got a shiny clean store with meticulously restored and labeled used electronics for sale. A knowledgeable full-time employee went through all my stuff and quickly figured out what could be sold and what I had to pay to recycle, as well as assured me that nothing gets trashed. (Most everything was accepted for resale and I was more than happy to pay $20 for non-sellable but recyclable leftovers). I was out of there in half an hour, impressive given how much stuff I brought with me. I was also impressed with what they had for sale - it definitely wasn't junk, and the prices were outstanding, especially if you are willing to accept small cosmetic defects. They even had a couple huge high-end Mac monitors and all-in-ones for sale, for a fraction of what you'd pay at a big box retailer or even on Craigslist. Next time you are shopping for electronics, instead of logging onto Best Buy or Amazon or New Egg, call your nearest Tech Dump location to ask if they have what you need in stock!
By naposaurus