1. Green E-Waste Tips
Reduce:
 Save money and help the environment at the same time by not purchasing
unnecessary personal electronics. You can take advantage of public equipment at
libraries, schools, and the work place or you can lease a PC.
 When purchasing electronics think of it as an investment: buy quality items and items
that are compatible for upgrades or add-ons. An average computer's lifespan of 2-3 years
can be extended by 1-2 years with upgrades Invest in a good monitor, which can last 6-7
years or more and be kept for use with your next computer.
 Take good care of electronics so they will last longer. Use a surge protector with
electronic equipment to prevent damage.
 Encourage Corporate Responsibility. Check to see if the manufacturer has a take back
policy, if they don't write to them and ask why not.
 Do some research and support companies that are dedicated to environmental
protection.
Reuse and Recycle:
Used electronics can often be repaired, upgraded and reused.
 Find a friend or organization that can use your old electronics.
 Try to sell or give your used items to a repair shop, which reuses them as spare
parts.
 Buy refurbish computers. A refurbished computer is not necessarily defective. It is an
old (by computer standards this could mean as little as a year old) or used computer in
which the components have been examined and replaced if necessary. These computers
can be bought with a warranty.
 Buy recycled computer disks and rewritable CDs in recycled cases. Ask at your local
store, rewritable CDs (CD-R) and DVDs (DVD-R) may be a little more expensive in the
short term, but the long term benefits add up.
 Use refillable ink cartridges or recycle your printer cartridges.