Wind Power Handbook

by Timlynn Babitsky
Stop and think for a minute. How many old computers, monitors, cell phones, printers, etc., have you already owned in your life? Where are they now? To deal with the 600 million to 800 million personal computers sitting in back closets, basements and self-storage units in the US, each wrapping substantial amounts of toxic metals, two innovative companies have come up with a solution to a growing recycle nightmare.
TechForward Inc., a Los Angeles-based company offers electro-consumers a “guaranteed” buyback plan for electronics. For a small fee paid when you purchase a gizmo you get the right to sell it back to TechForward when you upgrade to its next, new version. Price will depend on how long you’ve owned it and of course if it still works. But if even if it doesn’t TechForward will help you to recycle it.
NEW Corp., a much larger company will bring it’s ecoNEW program out next quarter. It won’t charge an upfront fee like TechForward. It will provide store credit for old electronics in some categories, and help users to send other old stuff back to NEW for free recycling. For old stuff like cell phones, sorry Charlie, they won’t be eligible for credit or recycling.