A college student found two working ThinkPad laptops in their school's e-waste bin and asked Reddit whether to rescue them to donate or sell them.
What happened?
The student posted photos of the ThinkPad R60e laptops to r/ThinkPad, writing: "Found two abandoned ThinkPads R60e in my college's e-waste disposal area. What do I do? Should I take them? But I'm too shy to ask them if I can rescue them."
Commenters encouraged salvaging the devices.
"Take them and get them fixed up," one wrote. "Install Linux on them and, if you want, sell them."
Another suggested removing the hard drives first to avoid data concerns.
The R60e model, released by Lenovo in 2006, can still run modern operating systems like Linux.
Why is electronic waste expensive?
When institutions throw away working electronics, they waste the money and labor invested in producing those devices.
Each laptop contains lithium batteries, processors, and memory modules that required a ton of manufacturing resources to create.
These ThinkPad laptops could be refurbished and sold, or donated to students who can't afford new computers.
E-waste also contaminates soil and water when laptops break down in landfills, and mining new materials to replace discarded electronics depletes natural resources.
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Yes! 👍 Is Lenovo doing anything about this?
Lenovo offers free recycling for its products, including ThinkPad laptops. Customers can request prepaid shipping labels through the company's website to send old devices to certified recycling facilities that extract valuable materials such as copper and rare earth elements.
The company also runs trade-in programs that give credit for used ThinkPads. The abandoned laptops appear to be the result of institutional disposal rather than a manufacturer issue, as many colleges lack clear protocols for devices that still work.
What's being done about electronic waste more broadly?
Right-to-repair legislation is passing in states across the United States, requiring manufacturers to provide repair manuals, parts, and diagnostic tools to consumers.
You can extend the life of your electronics by upgrading components like RAM and storage drives. Installing lightweight operating systems like Linux Mint or Ubuntu can revive older computers that struggle with modern Windows versions.
Local repair cafes and electronics recycling events accept working devices for refurbishment. Organizations like Computers with Causes collect used laptops to donate to low-income families.
When you need to dispose of electronics, look for certified e-waste recyclers through the EPA's website.
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