| An absurd amount of electronics ends up in the | | | | buying and selling site. eBay is the big one today, |
| garbage and landfills. An absurd amount also ends | | | | and many people even earn their living on eBay! |
| up in basements, attics, and closets, never to be | | | | 3) Be aware that most Internet sales are based |
| seen again until it is fully obsolete, and which point | | | | on trust. If you ship and don't get paid, there is |
| it goes into the trash and perhaps into a landfill. A | | | | probably very little you can do. Conversely, if you |
| lot of these electronics have useful life left in | | | | just shipped something that would have landed in |
| them and can be recycled, either by giving them | | | | the trash or lived in your basement for a couple |
| away perhaps via a freebie site like or even sold | | | | of decades, you are really only out the cost of |
| online for a few bucks. Selling online is easy but | | | | shipping. Most people are honest, but certainly not |
| can be intimidating at first, so here are 3 tips to | | | | everyone! As you probably won't be dealing with |
| help you get started with this method of recycling | | | | high dollar items, the risk is fairly low, but getting |
| electronics (and other good too). | | | | ripped off is very annoying. |
| 1) Do some research to set your price. What are | | | | If you can't sell your used electronics because no |
| similar items selling for on sites like eBay, | | | | one seems to want them, be aware that some |
| Craigslist, and others? Remember that buyers are | | | | may be classified as hazardous waste. You can't |
| probably also doing research, and a quick sale (and | | | | necessarily just toss them away. For example in |
| hence recycle) may be what you want, in which | | | | my home town, computers and computers |
| case you set the price at the lower end of the | | | | monitors require a $10 "recycle" fee at the local |
| range you've found online. It's also possible that a | | | | dump. You can also look for an electronics |
| sale at a great price for you may be what you | | | | recycler via electronicsrecycling.org. Note that |
| want. I suggest you start with low price/quick | | | | organizations like Goodwill usually refuse to take |
| sale at first to build your confidence. | | | | electronics. |
| 2) Make sure you are dealing with an established | | | | You can sell some old and unused electronics |
| and well respected site, for example eBay. eBay | | | | online and make a few extra bucks. Worst case, |
| also has rating of buyers and sellers which can be | | | | recycle them and get them out of your house or |
| very useful. As you gain experience, you may | | | | apartment! |
| branch out, but many people stick with one | | | | |