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Here's a list of great places to get rid of unwanted items from around your house without sending them to a landfill or incinerator (copied from an article in Co-op America's Real Money ):

  • "Electronics Industries Alliance Environment Consumer Education Initiative-- http://www.eiae.org . The EIAE Web site lists hundreds of local and national organizations that will refurbish and donate your used electronics to charities and nonprofits that can use them. The site also lists recyclers for ancient or broken equipment that is no longer useful.
  • " http://www.excessaccess.com : This online service matches business and household item donations with the wish lists of nonprofits that can provide pick-ups.
  • "Goodwill-- http://www.goodwill.org . Items you donate to Goodwill are sold in one of their 1,900 stores throughout the US. Eighty-five percent of the profits fund programs that provide job training and other career services to those in need. Check your local yellow pages or the Web site to find a Goodwill donation site and store near you.
  • "The Salvation Army at http://www.salvationarmyusa.org . Check your local yellow pages or the Web site to find a Salvation Army donation site or store near you to donate used household goods. One hundred percent of the store profits funds the Salvation Army's substance abuse rehabilitation centers.
  • "Throwplace.com--You can list excess possessions and surplus merchandise on this site for donation to charities or to businesses and individuals for reuse, refurbishing, and recycling."

Do you have an old computer you want to dispose of responsibly (for more info on why it's important to reuse or recycle old computer components, go to the website of the Computer Take Back Campaign at http://www.computertakeback.com/ )? Here's a list of options:

Do you have other old electronic equipment that you'd like to sell, donate, or recycle? eBay has started an electronics recycling program called Rethink which will help you do just that. You can find them online at http://pages.ebay.com/rethink . See the first entry under computer disposal above, too.

Want to recycle your old cellphones (which typically contain multiple hazardous materials)? Here are some resources from Co-op America's Real Money ( http://www.realmoney.org ):

  • "Collective Good will refurbish your old cell phone and resell it at a considerable discount to people in developing countries. Contact 770/856-9021, http://www.collectivegood.com .
  • "Donate a Phone's Call to Protect program refurbishes old cell phones in partnership with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Motorola. The poones are programmed to dial 911 and are given to victims of domestic violence with free emergency airtime. Contact 888/901-SAFE, http://www.donateaphone.com .
  • "Enter your zip code at http://www.wirelessrecycling.com to find a local ReCellular cell phone dropoff center for refurbishing or recycling. ReCellular manages recycling programs for many large companies, such as Spring and Verizon, as well as charities like the Easter Seals, Call to Protect, and GoodWill. In addition, donations often benefit local charities that organize collections."

Do you have used motor oil to recycle? The American Petroleum Institute will help you find some place in your area that will take it; they're online at http://www.recycleoil.org .

Did you know that CDs and DVDs of all types are made in part from polycarbonate plastic, which contains at least one chemical that's a known endocrine disruptor--bisphenol-A? Fortunately, there are some companies which will recycle them for a small fee, reducing the manufacture of new bisphenol-A-containing polycarbonate. Here's a list:

  • Plastics Recycling, Inc.--Accepts all types of CDs, 317-780-6100.
  • Green Disk--Accepts all types of CDs, music tapes, 8-track tapes, videotapes, and 3.5" computer diskettes. 800-305-3475, http://www.greendisk.org .
  • Envirom CD, Inc.--Accepts all types of CDs. 888-707-9892, http://www.envirom.com .
  • AuralTech will refinish old CDs; online at http://www.auraltech.com .

Would you like to recycle your old audio and video tapes, computer disks, and CDs? Contact GreenDisk at 800-305-DISK or visit http://www.greendisk.com .

Want to recycle an old home phone? Go to www.reclamere.com .

Do you have old appliances you'd like to donate or recycle?

  • Goodwill takes donations; contact them by phone at 800-664-6577 or through their website, http://www.goodwill.org .
  • If the appliances cannot be repaired, you can search for a recycler through the Steel Recycling Institute's database; their website is http://www.recycle-steel.org .

Do you have old batteries you'd like to recycle? Here're a couple resources:

  • You can find out where in your area to recycle all types of batteries through Battery Solutions, online at http://www.batteryrecycling.com .
  • If you have rechargeables to recycle, the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation can help you figure out where to take them through their site, http://www.rbrc.com .

Do you have old eyeglasses you can't wear any longer? Contact your local Lions Club or eye care chain to make a donation.

Would you like your old foam packaging peanuts to be reused? Here're some resources:

  • Stores that specialize in mailing and shipping, such as Mailboxes, Etc., are usually happy to take clean used foam peanuts.
  • If you don't have such a store near you, the Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council may be able to help you find another reuser; you can call them at 800-828-2214.

Would you like your old styrofoam packaging blocks to be reused? The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers may be able to help you find someone to take them to; they're online at http://www.epspackaging.org/info.html .

Would you like to recycle your used inkjet and laser toner cartridges? Here're some resources:

Buying recycled products (because if you're not buying recycled, you're not really recycling)

Would you like to buy remanufactured inkjet and laser toner cartridges? LaserCycle/InkCycle, online at http://www.lasercycle.com , sells them.

When you do need to buy replacement tires, would you rather buy retreaded tires (for which the core is saved and only the tread is remanufactured) than completely new ones? Search for a retailer in your area at http://www.retread.org/Guide/ .

Would you like to find out what other products are made from recycled tires? If so, check out http://www.rma.org/scrap_tires/scrap_tire_markets/recycled_catalog.cfm .