Fifteen to 20 percent of computers in the United States, as of 2007, were recycled at the end of their lifespan, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The rest went to landfills or sat in homes unused. Not everyone has enough money to afford a personal computer. Recycling your old computer equipment through donations to charity allows someone in need to receive the gift of a computer, and it takes only a small amount of time and effort on your part.
Instructions
1. Wipe your computer with a tack cloth to remove dust and grime.
2. Gather together all computer manuals, software programs, disks and computer accessories, such as a keyboard, mouse or a power cord. Place these in a plastic bag to be donated along with the computer.
3. Erase your personal information from the hard drive with a disk-cleaning software. Insert the software disk into the computer and follow the prompts to remove your personal data before donating the computer.
Tech Soup recommends WipeDrive for Macintosh and PC users, and free programs Active Kill and Darik's Boot and Nuke for PC users. Mac users with OS X can also erase a hard drive with the built-in Disk Utility.
4. Find a computer recycler in your state by using the directory from E-cycling Central. If the recycler accepts donations, it will say so under the profile. Some recyclers only accept computers for recycling, others also accept other donations.
5. Select a charity from Earth911's list of charities that accept computer donations. This includes organizations that provide disabled and low-income people with computers and those that outfit schools with computers. Contact a charity using the information on their website to arrange a recycling donation.
6. Take used computers to your local branch of Goodwill Industries or Salvation Army for a convenient charity recycling that's near you.
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