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If you're wondering what to do with your old laptop, read on. There are many eco-friendly ways to repurpose an old laptop, including, but not limited to, selling it, donating it, or recycling it.
WANT TO SELL YOUR OLD LAPTOP?
The market is active for used devices, and online marketplaces abound. And it is relatively simple to sell an old laptop online. Try sites like Craigslist, eBay, OfferUp, and LetGo to sell both functioning and non-functioning laptops.
Before listing your laptop for sale, be sure to secure your data by wiping your hard drive clean or by removing the hard drive from the computer completely. You can find instruction for safe hard drive removal ifixit.com.
CONSIDER RECYCLING OPTIONS
If you don't want to spend the time and effort to list your old laptop for sale online, check with your local municipality for a recycling collection schedule for used electronics. Also, look for businesses like West Coast Computer Recycler for suggestions on how to recycle your old laptop. You may also check with retailers like Staples or Best Buy for their free recycling programs.
MAKE A DONATION
When considering what to do with an old laptop, think about donating it to individuals in need. Wipe the hard drive clean and give your old laptop to a charitable organization that accepts used electronics like the World Computer Exchange, eBay Giving Works, the National Cristina Foundation and Komputer for Kids.
An added benefit of donating your old laptop is that your donation may be tax-deductible. Donated laptops that are in good condition may be eligible for a tax write-off. Turbo Tax's ItsDeductible can help with determining the value of your old laptop.
OTHER WAYS TO KEEP IT ECO-FRIENDLY
More ideas for what to do with an old laptop are
- Trading it for gift cards or other merchandise
- Using it to play and store music, movies and other media
- Upgrading it by adding more memory or by replacing the hard drive
Don't let your old laptop gather dust. And don't send it to a landfill. Choose any one of these other eco-friendly ways to give your old laptop a new home or, at least, a reinvigorated life.
