Dispose of your Old PC Correctly.

1. Improper disposal of electronics can harm the environment. Don’t throw them in the trash!
   These are not steps, they are simple options you for your old machine.
   You might put it on eBay. I know some people who have gotten as much as $75, but it also might not be worth your time and effort! Check to see what others are asking and remember that you may have purchased your electronic based on its price, therefore, you may have components that are too generic or not top of the line.
2. You might make it into a DVR. This is easy and inexpensive. Check out http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/features/extender
3. You might want to offer it to a friend or family member.
4. Donate it to a charity. Depending on the machine, a charity might be happy to have it. Call first, not all facilities are able to take (or take more) electronics. Contact the National Cristina Foundation http://www.cristina.org/ which is in every state and takes both PCs and Macs.
5. When you are looking to purchase a new machine, you are well advised to check the manufacturer’s sites. For instances, Toshiba will recycle its products for free. Gateway charges for recycling, as does HP. But HP gives you a credit toward a new HP machine.
6. Costco also has a trade-in program. It accepts a variety of gadgets. You’ll receive a gift card for the store. If the item can’t be resold, Costco will recycle it for free. Certain items, like CRT monitors, can only be recycled. Shipping is free.
7. Check the various stores in your area. Staples, Office Depot and Best Buy do offer a variety of recycle options. Check that out too.
8. You may also contact the manufacturer of the gadget. It should offer recycling advice.

Don’t forget to erase your data from your equipment. . Deleting data from a hard drive is not enough.

Erase your hard drive so your info is really deleted. A free program to do just that: http://www.heidi.ie