The Joy of “Old” Electronics
Shelves filled with used electronics: monitors, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, speakers, adapters and more.
I have an old iPod. An iPod “Touch”, to be exact, made in 2008. And it still works! I’ve loaded it with mp3s of music and books and old radio shows, and I can also still use it to listen to music via YouTube via the Internet. Where did the player with speakers come from for this “ancient” device? The Forest Grove Restore!
By holding on to my old iPod, I’ve not only saved a lot of money, I not only have music playing in parts of the house that don’t have great phone or wireless Internet reception, I’ve also helped reduce my household e-waste and not contributed to greenhouse gases by ordering something newer, frequently, from far away.
E-waste (electronic waste) includes anything with plugs, cords, batteries and electronic components. Examples of e-waste are discarded televisions, computers, laptops, mobile phones and any type of home appliance, from air conditioners to children's toys. And, very sad to say, the USA, is one of the largest producers of household e-waste in the world. Most e-waste goes to landfills here in our country and abroad, in very poor countries, as well as right into the ocean, polluting the soil and water with dangerous metals and other toxins.
By holding on to electronics as long as possible, you help reduce our world's e-waste problem, as well as saving yourself hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. And when you are ready to upgrade, make sure you dispose of your items appropriately. And consider this: there are VCR tapes and CDs that have material that cannot be found anywhere else, including their Blue Ray and MP3 counterparts. When you get rid of old electronics, you could be getting rid of music, movie outtakes, interviews and other audio or video treasures you can’t find anywhere else.
Think twice about getting your phone or other devices upgraded. Do you really need a new device? You can often find older electronics that work with your older Mp3 players at the Forest Grove ReStore, as well as other thrift shops in our area. And you can test any device before you purchase: bring your older device in and test all the players and speakers you wish, to ensure the items work together.
If you decide to donate outdated speakers, radios, players or screens to the ReStore, we ask that you PLEASE make sure all is working well before you donate.
We are limited by both space and capacity regarding the amount of older electronics we can accept at the ReStore. We do have partnerships with some other organizations to dispose of electronics. Please see our information here about our recycling partnerships and where else you can take your older or broken electronics.
Come see our inventory of electronic devices, and visit often - our inventory changes frequently! We’re open Mondays through Saturdays, 9 to 5, and sales help support the work of West Tuality Habitat for Humanity right here in Western Washington County, Oregon.
