Amazing. When I was a child, few families had a personal computer. No one had cell phones. Now, we coordinate play dates with apps, keep in touch with grandparents via video chat, and do homework on tablets.
What happens when your electronics are too broken to fix or obsolete? Tossing them adds to the landfill and is wasteful–some of the components and precious metals may be reusable. Plus, many electronics contain hazardous or toxic chemicals. You don’t want your electronics going into the landfill and poisoning the environment. Best Buy has a free electronics recycling program at every Best Buy location in Puerto Rico and the U.S. This program will safely and responsibly dispose of your electronics, no matter where you bought them or how old they are–at no cost to you!
The number of electronics in my house increases every year. Just a short time ago, we had a regular cell phone, one television with a DVD player, and a desktop computer. Now, we have two flat screen televisions (one of which has a Roku and a DVR), two DVD players, a smart phone, two tablets, three laptops, and a mini laptop and assorted other devices. And we are probably on the lower side of electronics in middle class families in America. According to the EPA, Americans own about 24 electronic products per family. All those electronics mean a lot of electronic waste–6 million tons in 2010.
As an industry leader, Best Buy wants to be part of the solution. They recycle 387 pounds of electronics each minute their stores are open. When you recycle your electronics, you can also upgrade to new ones. Best Buy carries a whole line of Energy Star certified products.
Around the holidays, I dropped my old iPhone. Fortunately, I qualified for an upgrade so it made more sense to get a new model than to pay $50 to fix my cracked screen. In the meantime, the old one has been sitting around while I try to figure out what to do with it. Staring at the broken screen on top of our cabinet is bugging my husband but we don’t want to just toss the device in the garbage. Now, I plan to take the phone over to Best Buy for recycling. This way I know that it will be disposed of safely and responsibly!
Have you ever recycled your electronics at Best Buy?
Disclosure: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.
Photo Credit: S. Baker
