Don't Toss Your PC in the Trash

When I bought the new desktop, the company emailed me a FedEx (FDX Quote)barcode that I could print out and bring to my nearest shipping center so that mailing it to them would be on their tab, too. Even though some of the parts will still wind up as waste, it's a reasonably responsible choice, environmentally.

Apple keeps all its recycling operations in the U.S. and is too focused on protecting its brand image to screw it up. It wouldn't cost me anything, but I wouldn't make any money, either, and there's the hassle factor: While it doesn't matter if the unit gets where it's going in one piece, I still have to box it up and get it to FedEx.

Dell (DELL Quote), HP (HPQ Quote), and Gateway (GTW Quote) also have recycling and trade-in programs -- and the machines don't always have to be the same brand as the one you just bought.

Goodwill is my reliable fall back for getting rid of old electronics. A spokesperson said the organization makes every effort to monetize donations, so if it can't sell your machine in the store it will next try to direct it toward one of its own refurbishment programs or recycle it for cash (they have a partnership with Dell for this). But she said that some electronic goods still find their way to the dump if nothing else can be done with them.