When you think about recycling what comes to mind? To most people the first thing that we think of is aluminum cans, paper and plastic bottles. Although these are important materials we need to recycle, there is another material we must consider. With the booming growth and demand all over the world of technology over the past years we must think about all the new waste that has been created. What happens to all our old cellphones when the latest version comes out, all the old computers, TV’s, mp3’s, cameras and DVD players? If not properly educated about e-waste and electronic recycling they might end up in a landfill, where they could cause harm to us and our environment.

Recycling our old, obsolete electronics has become a critical step in protecting our environment. The makeup of electronics is toxic. They could contain dangerous chemicals such as mercury and lead. If not properly disposed of, the devices we throw away with these chemicals could seep into our soil and water, not only damaging our environment but potentially our health. Electronics aren’t meant to be just thrown away, they are not biodegradable and they should not end up in a landfill.

In addition to the hazard it is to our health and environment leaving your electronics in a landfill could also put you at risk in other ways. Whether you use your device for business or personal purposes, the information you have on it should be private and for your use only. Simply throwing away something like your computer is like leaving your personal or business life out to hackers and the public.

Also, recycling your devices could repurpose them for something else. For example, your old cell phone could be shredded into component parts that could either be used to make another electronic or be sold. This is like making it so that nothing goes to waste, anything that can be reused or resold should be. There is enough clutter on this earth, recycling is our best option.

In conclusion, recycling our electronics ensures that we dispose of it in the safest manner and if possible might even make it reusable and beneficial for someone else, either way you would be doing your part in helping this earth be a better place.