The trick to making this work is to move fast. Don't stash it under the bed for long. But, frankly, finding someone who wants your old computer can create a rather large item on your already crammed to-do list -- as Kathleen points out. To that end, TechSoup and Redemtech, have teamed-up and are expanding their Refurbished Computer Initiative , which works with corporations to divert used computers from the waste stream, refurbish them securely, and provide them to nonprofits. "You may already know that refurbishing just two desktop computer systems is equal to reducing the carbon footprint equivalent to operating a car for a full year," says Jim Lynch, Computer Recycling & Reuse Director at TechSoup's GreenTech Program. "But did you know that approximately 40 percent of nonprofit workers do not have Pentium-level computers?"
And you can rest assured that even after the non-profit that gets your computer is done with it, your old computer won't end up in the landfill. Redemtech's extended end-of-life services ensure that computers donated through the program are recycled responsibly in accordance with a zero-landfill, zero-export, zero-incineration policy.
If you are in a home office and can't participate in this corporate program, the EPA offers some ideas on donating at its Plug-In To eCycling site. Or try the National Cristina Foundation. This nonprofit will find a needy home for a computer with a little life left in it. Log on, answer a few questions about your computer, and it will find someone in its network that needs just such a thing. Or list it at Freecycle or Craigslist to see if a teen geek-in-training is looking for free parts. (Just be sure you shred the data on the hard drive -- or remove the hard drive -- first.)
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive Business Resource Alerts
10 Recommendations
