This Reddit user is doing their part to combat the spread of e-waste by showing that even old technology can still be useful, despite market noise to the contrary.
The post on the r/LinuxMint subreddit shows a bunch of old Microsoft computers that the user refurbished after a friend gave them to them.
"Former work colleague has a bunch of old units that, despite Microslop's opinion, function perfectly fine. Its been a fun process refurbishing them," they wrote under the post.
"He wants to get rid of them, and I got time and people across social media who could spread the word locally to get a refurbished computer to someone could use for cheap," they continued.
They then describe their process of refurbishing and say they are available to anyone in the area who may need them for work or school, giving what would have otherwise been thrown away a new home.
While older electronics are understandably often seen as waste and thrown away without a second thought, this action actually does more harm than good.
A report from the UN found that 68 million tons of e-waste were produced in 2022, and that number could reach 90 million by 2030.
This is a waste of money for consumers who could have easily sold or recycled their old devices to companies willing to pay for them. It also leaches harmful chemicals into the landfills that they end up in, which ultimately ends up in our soil or oceans.
Most of these devices also use lithium-ion batteries, which are difficult to recycle on their own, resulting in more wasted labor and increased harmful chemical output during the mining process.
Posts such as this, highlighting how easy it is to recycle and refurbish old electronics, are good for spreading the word and keeping people informed about their options. Finding ways to repurpose or ethically dispose of older electronic devices is better than simply tossing them out to rot.
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$200 or more 💰 "Good job mate! I am doing literally the same thing, I love it ( Keep going)," one user wrote under the post.
The company Trashie not only offers its own rewards for donating old or unused items, but also has a program specific to electronics called Tech Take Back Box, where donors can earn up to $30 per box.
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