Search Results for: recycle

BuyMyTronics.com pays you for your old Electronics

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It’s always great to see more companies involved in recycling. In the past, we’ve featured electronics recycling sites like YouRenew, MyBoneYard and Gazelle (and even Costco/Gazelle) that pay you to take your old cell phones, computers, MP3 players, etc. off of your hands.

buymytronics.com logo

We’re pleased to tell you about another such site: BuyMyTronics.com (think of it as ‘buy-my-tronics’ or ‘buy-my-electronics’). BuyMyTronics.com touts their free shipping, will take electronics in any condition (excellent!), and get this: their facilities are 100% wind-powered.

How much you get for your electronics depends in large part on how much damage a gadget has. BuyMyTronics.com currently takes iPods, cell phones, game consoles, desktop computers, PDAs, eBook readers and more.

Lexus HS 250h – hybrid eco-vehicle

Automotive, Gizmo of the Day / By /

This is one of our pricey gadgets, but boy is it a nice one. Lexus has just launched a brand new hybrid model, the HS 250h. You’ll probably have seen TV ads already, and will notice ads showing up in print and on billboards soon. The ad campaign’s slogan is “Hello Someday” as in someday your car can have all of these various advanced technologies and someday is today. Well at least in the HS, and sure enough, the HS is really chock full of gee-whiz features.

Here are just some of those features:

  • Lane Keep Assist – helps keep your car in its lane by monitoring the lane markings via radar and micro video cameras.
  • Lane Departure Warning – beep if your car wanders and gently steers it back if it does.
  • Heads up Display – windscreen in front of the driver shows turn by turn directions as well as the buttons that the driver is touching on the steering wheel
  • Dynamic Radar Cruise Control – help you stay a pre-set distance from the car in front of you, and automatically applies the brakes and/or accelerator to keep that distance.
  • Pre-Collision System – uses radar to sense imminent collisions and applies brakes and pulls in seatbelts.
  • Voice Command – voice-recognition system allows users to say commands. For example, control the temperature and call someone.
  • Driver Attention Monitor – uses infrared sensors to monitor the driver’s face to ensure they’re paying attention

In addition to the features, the HS touts eco-friendly feature such as recycled materials, ecological plastics and reduced emissions. That is just a sampling of features. Lexus has put together a nice website that shows off these features nicely with videos and more.

The HS 250h starts at approx $35k.

Costco offers recycling program through Gazelle

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Cameras and Photo, Computers, Miscellaneous, Networking & Internet, Phones, Portable, Tools, DIY, Home, Office / By /

We always like to report on recycling efforts because we feel this is a topic that needs constant exposure and it’s something that consumers can participate in without a great deal of time or money expenditure.

Costco has now partnered with Gazelle to offer Costco members a way to recycle their old or unwanted electronics. In return you will receive a Costco Cash Card for the value of the item.

Visit http://costco.gazelle.com/ to get started.

Panasonic Announces Nationwide Consumer Electronics Recycling Program

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Panasonic Corporation of North America recently joined the growing list of environmentally conscious corporate citizens who have launched electronics recycling programs.

The Panasonic program began on November 1, 2008, with more than 160 recycling drop-off locations in 10 states, and is slated to expand to all 50 states, with hundreds more sites, over the next three years. For a list of current states and sites see www.MRMrecycling.com.

Good on you Panasonic! Check out other recycling efforts and resources by searching our blog.

Samsung offering a recycling program in the US

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Cameras and Photo, Computers, Gaming & Toys, GPS, Home Automation, Miscellaneous, Phones, Portable, Tools, DIY, Home, Office / By /

Thank you Samsung for deciding to launch a recycling program in the 50 states. With the exception of appliances, you can drop off any Samsung consumer electronics at various drop-off points. Here is the Samsung Recycling Direct website.

If you’re looking for more recycling resources, just do a search on our site as we’ve covered numerous recycling resources over the years.

Gazelle website will pay for your old electronics

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We’ve featured a number of sites that will either recycle or help you recycle your old electronics and gadgets, but here’s one with a twist. If it’s relatively recent (based on their database of items on their site), they (Gazelle) will pay you some cash to take it off your hands. They then either resell it or recycle it.

So far, they have a fair # of items in their database with prices attached, items like cell phones, GPS devices, cameras, game consoles and MP3 players. But don’t expect to get a lot of cash for your items. Unless it’s something hot like an iPhone, you’ll get some nominal return. The bright side is that if you’re a gadget junkie who is constantly replacing your stuff, then this is a great way to not completely lose your shirt every time you turn over your arsenal.

Wash Clothes with Plastic Chips, Only 1 cup of water

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Professor Stephen Burkinshaw, a professor of textile chemistry, at the University of Leeds has invented a new washing machine that uses plastic chips and only 1 cup of water per load. The chips can be used about 100 times and leave clothes just as clean as traditional washers, but less than 2% of the water and energy. The other benefit is that there’s little need for a dryer as the clothes come out almost dry.

The washer is currently being developed by UK company Xeros, and it could possibly be sold as early as 2009. Good luck to Xeros and professor Burkinshaw. My only concern is what to do with those plastic chips when they’re used up. I hope they can be recycled and/or are biodegradable.

via MetaEfficient

EPA’s Recycling Resources

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There really isn’t too much of this information available today and we’re going to do our best to spread the word that ecycling is absolutely necessary. The government agency, the EPA, has a good list of local programs, links and vendor resources listed conveniently on a page on their website.

Please don’t throw your electronic waste in the trash. Take 15 minutes this weekend and donate or recycle it.

You may also wish to take a look at the GCycle website which provides you with even more local resources.

GCycle – New website that helps you locate recycling locations near you

1 Comment / Cameras and Photo, Computers, Gizmo of the Day, Miscellaneous, Networking & Internet, Phones, Portable / By /

G4 (yes, the cable TV channel) has launched a website, called Gcycle, devoted to helping you find locations near you that will recycle electronics, batteries, computers, etc. Although there are already similar sites out there, they certainly aren’t as flashy. This one is totally done in Adobe Flash and is a little ‘jumpy’, but then they were going for a unique, cartoony look and succeeded.

Bottom line is that it has the goods. Punch in your zip code, select the stuff you want to recycle and it delivers. Before you do that, hit the Flummoxing Facts link and be flummoxed. It’s staggering, a bit sickening and frightening how much we’re tossing into landfills. Not only are we polluting at a ridiculous rate, but we’re going to run out of resources to make more and new gadgets in the future!

As for my comment about there being other sites to help you find recycling resources, I say bring them on in droves. We need as much info out there to drive up awareness, and it needs to be easy for folks to find it. Google helps; use it. Please.

gcycle now…

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