According to a recent article in US News and World Report, there are several companies banking on you wanting to recycle for cash. One such company, Cell for Cash, refurbishes cell phones and sells them in developing countries. You simply find your make and model on the list Cell for Cash offers and request a postage-paid box. Send the phone and your charger into the company, and you’ll receive a check!
Gazelle is a site that offers you cash for any old electronics, from smart phones to laptops to video cameras. Like Cell for Cash, you find your make and model, get a price quote, and ship the gadget to Gazelle for free. Once it’s received, Gazelle evaluates the condition of the item, strips your personal data from it, and mails you a check. Once your gadget is refurbished, it’s resold or recycled responsibly.
Cash for Clunkers allows old cars with poor environmental ratings to be traded in for cash and then scrapped. This company helps keep the worst polluters off the road while simultaneously stimulating the economy. Cash for Clunkers is currently being tested in California, Texas, and British Columbia.
RecycleBank gives you money in the form of coupons and gift certificates for grocery and pharmacy items for simply recycling your bottles, cans, and paper at home—something most of us do anyway! You receive a recycle container with an embedded computer chip that weighs how much you recycle—no sorting necessary. The program has been utilized in communities in Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Nebraska, Maine, and New Jersey and will expand to Minneapolis and Dallas.
It’s reassuring that so many companies are committed to keeping hazardous chemicals from electronics out of our landfills. And, in such difficult economic times, it’s also reassuring to know that going green can also earn you a little green.
