How I Handle Electronics Recycling

If you're not a dog lover, don't worry; while Ben Tyson of Strawflower Electronics in Half Moon Bay, California often has his dogs in the store, they usually stay behind the counter. (He brought them out so I could get a photo.)

But I'm not writing about Strawflower Electronics because of the dogs; I'm writing because the store provides a wonderful service: e-waste recycling. Batteries (household, not car), cell phones, chargers, computers, printers, cables, stereo equipment, TVs and VCRs - Strawflower takes all this, and more.

Ben told me that in the store's latest government filing, they reported recycling 189,310 pounds of electronics; 113,000 of that was monitors and CRTs. Ben said they also work with partners who ensure this stuff isn't winding up in China.

So here's a big thank you to Strawflower Electronics for the service it provides. I like to support local businesses when I can - and even more so in a situation like this. So I buy all my batteries and printer cartridges from Strawflower - and other electronics, as needed. (The service is very good, too!)

If you have working electronics that aren't totally obsolete, it's nicer to get them a new home; I usually use Freecycle for this. But for electronics that have reached the end of their useful life, we can at least be sure to dispose of them properly.

OK, I know most of you don't live near me. But how about taking a quick moment to comment and let me know how you handle electronics recycling?

Categories: donating + recycling , Jeri gets organized