by Lori Deschene
The year was 1984. I had pigtails and a lisp. I loved my jelly shoes, Pacman, The Smurfs—and recycling soda cans. That’s right! Every Saturday I gathered a trash bag full of cans and accompanied my father to the recycling place where a toothless man gave me $.5 for each one. These days I still get that warm-fuzzy I’m-doing-my-small-part-to-make-the-world-a-better-place feeling when I recycle. And depending on the item, I get a lot more money.
I’ve posted quite a few recycling suggestions on our
Tips & Tricks page. Here they are together, in all their glory. Enjoy!
UK: Check out
Green Metropolis. You can buy books for just £3.75, and sell your old ones for £3.
US: Check out
Cash 4 Books. Enter the ISBN, supply your contact information, send the book, and expect payment within three days after they receive your books.
UK: Visit
Musicmagpie.com. Simply enter the details of your CDs, find out what they are worth and they will send you all the packaging you need to send them in.
US: Check out
PlayIC.com to swap or sell DVDs, CDs, and games.
BuyMyTronics.com buys new, used, and broken electronics from any location in the world. You'll receive payment through PayPal within 48 hours of receipt.
US: VenJuvo.com helps you calculate your item’s worth and then buys it from you with two payment options—PayPal or check.
Second Rotation.com purchases mobile phones, gaming consoles, MP3 players, and other gadgets to resell them. You could earn over $150 for one item.
UK: Visit
adpost.com. Categories range from archery to weight lifting and everying in between. For board equipment, try
UK Board Sports.
I have two more recycling tips that unfortunately don’t start with “Get Cash.” But remember that warm fuzzy feeling I mentioned before? Well, that’s the deal. Help other families, save the planet and what not…
UK: Visit
Donate a PC— a “matchmaking” service for individuals and organizations—to donate unwanted hardware to charities, non-profits, and educational establishments. According to the site, this service is ideal for people with one or two items to donate.
US: Visit
Computers with Causes, a site that gives donated computers to needy families. Just click on your state at the bottom of the page and fill out the form.
Try one of these spots:
Conigliaro Industries, Framingham, MA., (508) 872-9668
DR3 Mattress Recycling Facility, San Leandro, CA. (510) 351-0520
MattCanada, Montréal, Québec (514) 648-7575
Goodwill Industries, Duluth, MN. (218) 722-6351
FEAT Enterprises, UK and Scotland, 01592 769258
Bed Busters, San Francisco, CA
Dreamsafe, Moorabbin, Australia
A few more links you may enjoy:
Have a recycling idea to add? Please let us know!