Recycling Your Used Computer

If your are like me, it just hurts to throw something out that still has some use left in it. So, I felt for my friend who had a perfectly good computer she wanted to donate to a good cause. After looking high and low, I turned up a great list of refurbishers ... which also happened to be right here on the TechSoup site. Refurbishers accept used computers and update them to be used again.

The list is extensive, and though it doesn't cover every inch of the United States, very likely there is a place near you. It is also a great place to look if your nonprofit (or other qualified organization/ individual) is interested in a refurbished computer.

According the home page of the Community MAR (Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher) program, it "was created to increase the number of usable computers available to nonprofits, schools, and low-income families across the globe by reducing the cost of software to refurbishers. The Community MAR program also benefits the environment by giving new life to a significant number of computers that may otherwise be destined for landfills."