Got An Old Desktop Computer? 5 Things You Can Do With It
If you have an old desktop computer sitting around, you cannot throw it into a landfill. This is because it contains heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and beryllium, which are toxic chemicals. Fortunately, there are many things you can do with it to keep it out of the landfill.
Donate It
If your computer is in in pretty good shape and works, you can donate it to a place like a local school. There are also centers that you can donate it to that will refurbish the computer. These centers will upgrade the computers and make any repairs, if needed. They will then donate the computers for you. If you choose to do this, you may have to pay a fee, which usually depends on how many computers you are donating.
Recycle It
If the computer does not work and is beyond repair, take it to a recycling company. They will salvage any parts that can be reused. Some parts can even be sold, such as palladium, gold, copper, and aluminum.
They will then destroy the computer.
Upgrade the Computer
You could upgrade your computer to keep it around as a second computer if your old computer still works. If your computer does not have a lot of RAM (random access memory) and you will often have more than one application running, consider adding more to it. This can help speed up the programs that you will be using. New computers today will often come with at least 2GB to 4GB or RAM. RAM is inexpensive and easy to install.
If you do not have an SSD (solid state drive) on your computer, consider upgrading it with one. This will help the computer boot faster and make it overall quicker.
Give it to Granny
If you have a grandmother that has always wanted to learn how to use a computer, you likely do not want her to learn using yours. Your old computer would be perfect for her to learn on if it works, especially if you make the above upgrades.
Before you donate your computer, make sure you prepare it first by removing all of your personal information from it. This often includes uninstalling the operating system and installing a fresh copy of it. If you are not sure how to do this, take your computer to a computer shop to do it for you. Contact a local recycling center, such as Arcoa, if you have any questions about getting rid of your old desktop computer.
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