Given current rates of computer consumerism and technological advances, one might expect to find a lot of computers out there in the world. What happens to these old computers? This Topic in Depth explores this issue, reviews some options for recycling computers, and provides tips for anyone considering purchasing a refurbished computer. The first article from BBC News (1) reports on research...

Ever wondered how or where to recycle something? The chances are pretty good that Earth 911 will have an answer. This resource offers a comprehensive recycling search directory that covers the United States and Canada. Users simply enter the item they want to recycle and their postal code to be presented with a list and map of the nearest facilities accepting that item. Earth 911 also provides a...

Exporting Harm: The High Tech Trashing of Asia is an alarming article published on February 25, 2002, by the Basel Action Network and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. It sheds light on the largely unknown problem of electronic waste, or the disposal of electronic devices (e.g., computers, televisions, etc.). According to the article, major industrial countries export such waste to less...

Used cellphones and laptops can't go in the recycling with the empty soda cans and cereal boxes. So where do they go to be recycled once consumers find new ones? The National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) is working on that very problem. Visitors can click on the "Ecycling Basics" tab on the left side of the page to be taken to links to three websites that allow you to search by zip...

The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) is a regional nonprofit organization whose mission is "to minimize waste, conserve natural resources, and advance a sustainable economy through facilitated collaboration and action." While the eleven northeasternmost US states are the primary geographic focus of NERC's programs, the organization's leadership extends beyond those borders. Visitors to NERC's...

Pollution takes many forms, such as ground, air, and water pollution. To make the environment pleasant to live in, certain methods are needed to clean up pollution or, even better, to prevent it all together. Several technologies and engineering techniques are regularly employed to keep pollution in check. The Air Pollution Control Technology Handbook (1) takes an in-depth look at many types of...

Recycling made fun. The Environmental Protection Agency's Recycle City Web site offers students an interactive way to learn how recycling can affect their environment. Users can click any part of the cartoon drawing of the city to learn about that particular building or site and what can be done to decrease waste. The site also contains a more involved exercise called the Dumptown game, where...

The familiar slogan "reduce, reuse, recycle" reminds our consumption-driven society to be mindful of our waste, but recycling frequently receives the bulk of the attention. The Freecycle Network (TFN) offers an avenue for the reuse of working items whose current owners no longer need or want them. The way it works is fairly straightforward: after finding their local group and creating a free...

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management's goals include minimizing the waste generated by DOE, and pursuing compliance with all applicable environmental regulations. The Waste Management Web site contains information on how the DOE directs the treatment, storage, and disposal of waste generated by DOE's activities, nuclear and otherwise. A whole host of reports and...