UCRO.org

So
where do these electronic relics go to retire? Between 2003 and 2005, as much
as 85 percent of the disposed electronics in the U.S. went straight in the trash and
headed directly to local landfills or incinerators [source: EPA].
Worldwide, as much as 50 million tons of old electronics are discarded annually
[source: Carroll].

Some
of you may be thinking, “So what? All my other garbage goes to the
landfill, why not my old computer?” But let’s think back to what we
touched on briefly on the previous page — the potentially lethal chemical
combination that could seriously harm the environment if not properly handled.

The Freecycle Network™ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them’s good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by clicking on the region on the left. You may then go directly to your local group by clicking on “Go To” or you may immediately joining by clicking on “Join.” It will generate an automatic e-mail which, when sent, will sign you up for the local group and send you a response with instructions on how it works. Can’t find a group near you? You might want to consider starting one (click on “Start a Group” for instructions). Have fun!