Places to recycle computers

That Goodwill Industries will now accept all used computer hardware is helpful. Several days ago I checked with the Goodwill Industries donation center near hear and learned that the staff claims to make constructive use of working Macs. I may use Goodwill Industries as a last resort. Search on mac donor and you will find me, the San Gabriel Valley Macintosh Users Group Mac Donor Program volunteer named Richard. After initiating this program 23 months ago, I have refurbished and upgraded about 123 discarded and retired Macs. Because of the Web link, I have received Macs shipped from afar. Many Mac sets have been effectively placed. Earlier this week I transferred an initial twelve to the LA County Office of Education GAIN Job Club. GAIN is a program to lead people from welfare to jobs. My parts cost for batteries, RAM, and some replacement hard drives is $343 for these twelve. The GAIN staff said they have no intention of reimbursing me. This is one of the hazards of running a program such as ours. My total outlay for parts is about $2,300. Through this program I have become acquainted with the disorganized and indecisive characteristics of public schools and the pervasive socialism. School kids have come to pick up their gift, complained that they were not getting new Macs, and refused to pay for a $7 replacement battery as they chat with friends on their cell phones. To circumvent institutional barriers, I give computers directly to teachers to be their personal property to use as they see fit. Presently I have about 50 nicely upgraded and groomed Macs, ranging from a Mac Classic to slot loading iMacs. (Also two Apples signed by Steve Wozniak.) I have announced my retirement from this program in favor of a vastly more important renewable energy program; soon the Web link to me should no longer work. I have changed my email address to acorn_1dslextreme.com.

On Jul 27, 2005, at 4:31 PM, Burt Johnson wrote:

> Did you hear that Goodwill Industries announced just this morning
> that they
> will now accept all used computer hardware? They have set up with
> various
> recycling groups that will process the equipment properly, then give
> whatever proceeds result back to Goodwill.

I just got off the phone with the fellow who handles donations of
used computers at Goodwill's collection center and retail store at 10
South Glebe Road in Arlington, VA. I talking with him, he made it
pretty clear that they were only accepting computers that could
resold to their customers. They have no intention of becoming
another recycling center for broken computers.

Dick Rucker

I called the Goodwill in Wilmington, DE and the person there told me that I could bring in anything, regardless of age, functionality, or quantity. I told her that I had about 30 computers to recycle and some of them didn't even work. She said I could bring them all in. Maybe I'll just take 5 or 6 and see if they accept it and bring in the rest later.

Michael Lau

Portland, OR, has "Free Geeks", who accept computers and fix up or scavenge what they can, and then donate them to underprivileged children. They do charge $10 per computer to drop them off. But I'd rather donate to a place that is specifically oriented toward "finding a good home" for the computers, rather than a general charity like Goodwill.

If Free Geeks closed shop, though, I would probably make use of the Goodwill channel.

By the way, FWIW, I have *six* Mac LC II computers awaiting new homes if anyone wants them (Northern New Jersey).

--On August 2, 2005 1:12:17 PM -0700 allenwatson
<allenwatsonearthlink.net> wrote:

> Portland, OR, has "Free Geeks"

Kansas City has the Surplus Exchange which does a similar business.
<http://www.surplusexchange.org/>

They have a fee on things they can't fix up (and always a fee on monitors
over 10 years old). What they can't reuse gets properly recycled.

Kevin