by twentyshadows

Green How To- Get Paid To Recycle your Old iPod and Electronic Gadgets

I know so many of us have a drawer at home just full of old electronic gadgets and old iPods that need to be recycled and disposed of properly. We all know that it is not an earth friendly decision to throw these electronic gadgets away, but they sure do not make it easy to recycle these items. Well now there is a way to not only recycle your old electronic gadgets like cell phones and iPods, but also get paid while recycling these items, a way to make green while going green. There are a few different “recycle how to” companies out there that will recycle your old electronic gadgets, but my favorite one in particular is a green company called Gazelle. Not only are they green for the environment, they are green for your wallet, which is always a plus! The way this green company operates is very simple.

You login to Gazelle’s website and answer a few questions about your old elcectronic gadgets then Gazelle will automatically determine how much it will pay you based on the quick questions you asked! And the best part is, there is never a charge, so even if you have just a piece of junk electronic gadget, Gazelle will recycle it for free. The company pays for shipping and will send customers a box for most orders. Next, one of Gazelle’s 75 employees hand-inspects each device to insure the customer rating is accurate, and erases any user files,from documents to photos to MP3s. Lastly, if the item is deemed to be in good enough condition to resell to secondary retailers, wholesalers or refurbishers, the owner gets a check. If not, Gazelle recycles it at no cost to the owner.

It’s that simple! Gazelle takes 15+ categories: cell phones, laptops, cameras, & more with customers netting an average of 0 per device. That’s right, the customer, YOU, sending them the old gadgets, gets paid! The company promises one thing to each customer which I thought was extremely valuable to know. Gazelle promises to remain green by placing a guarantee that that no item will ever up in a landfill.

For more green how to and recycle how to tips, head over to http://www.TheGreenerFuture.blogspot.com.

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Physical fitness I am a sucker for exercise gadgets. If you ever see a station wagon rolling through Milton with Tony Little’s Gazelle hanging out the back, that’s probably me, hauling the thing home from the tree lawn in front of someone else’s house. Tony Little – Physical fitness – Gazelle – Fitness – Shopping
Read more on Boston Globe

While gadget recycling services like Gazelle are handy and more people should take advantage of them, this in-store “ecoATM” is perhaps an even better idea. You put your old phone in there, identify it, and it checks for signs of wear. You get a quote on the spot, redeemable in store credit or whatever — or if it’s not worth anything, you can have it safely recycled and they’ll plant a tree on your behalf.

The first ecoATM, installed in a furniture store in Omaha (???), appears to work fine, having bought over 20 phones on its first day. I imagine if they’d installed it at a Best Buy or in a mobile retail store, they might have gotten a bit more, but they consider it a success and that’s what matters. They’ll be rolling out more over the next few months — check back later to see if one’s coming up near you.

Here’s a quick update on this year’s Wiimbledon, folks. If you’re unable to make the event in Brooklyn on June 27th and you still want to help CrunchGear raise money for Child’s Play then donate your used gadgets to Gazelle. We’ve set up a “Gazelle for Goods” page and we’re hoping to raise $2500 for Penny Arcade’s charity, Child’s Play. Go dig into your desk drawers and find some old gadgets to donate! Don’t forget to sign up at Eventbrite if you want to play in the tournament and remember, it doesn’t cost anything to attend.

Wiimbledon Gazelle