Yes camera’s can be complicated and expensive, but not so much as to warrant using a disposable piece of junk that doesn’t even take good pictures. A point and shoot digital camera can be had for under one hundred bucks these days, and used 35mm film cameras are so hard to sell that many people are giving them away. So you really have no excuse for using a disposable, other than wanting to waste resources and pollute more.

Swiffer

These one use cleaning products ranging from dusters to mops really have become popular with the lazy among us. While they do make cleaning a quick and fairly easy task, they do not clean better than a little elbow grease can do with a wet rag, or an old fashioned mop. Both of which not only cost 10x less, but last for hundreds, if not thousands of uses before having to be replaced.

Disposable Phones

Unless your a drug dealer or terrorist, you have no business throwing your money away and polluting the earth with  disposable cell phones. With all the plastics and toxins used in creating these, they are one of the worst items imaginable for a disposable product.

Non Rechargeable Batteries

This isn’t the 1990’s people, rechargeable batteries have come a really long way the last ten years. For as little as five dollars you can get four packs of high quality double or triple A batteries that will last for hundreds of charges. Which not only makes them better for the environment, but also means massive savings.

Plastic Wrap

That’s right, the magic plastic everyone has come to depend on is also horrible for the environment. It may make life easier, but there are other ways to preserve those leftovers, cover a pie, or secure a freshmen to a flagpole. For food uses, many companies now make alternatives that have elastic edges that can secure a plate or dish and are reusable.

Nonrefillable Pens

This is a product that makes no sense to not buy refillable versions of. The cheap reusable pens are the same price and the same quality as the throwaway ones. And it takes so little effort to change the ink cartridge that even a child could do it. So quit buying bulk packs of disposable pens, and instead buy one pen, and a pack of cartridges.

Styrofoam

We all know how bad this stuff is, we have all heard how long it takes to biodegrade, and yet we keep on using it. Even though there are environmentally friendly, toxin free and recyclable alternatives for food and packaging uses. Sadly, until more cities and states start banning it’s use, you will be hard pressed to avoid this one entirely.

Bottled Water

This multi billion dollar scam of a product has become so popular that we now extract, bottle and ship water thousands of miles just to be able to claim the water you are drinking came from a ‘pure’ source. Most of the companies selling bottled water don’t even source it from an aquifer, but instead get it from a municipal tap. The same tap you use for next to no cost on a daily basis. So just save yourself and the environment a lot of cost, and buy a water purifier, hook it up to your faucet, and enjoy the same quality and taste that the giant corporations tell you can only be had by their overpriced H2o.

Disposable  Audio Books

How anyone would ever consider buying a disposable audio book that costs anywhere from $20 to $50 dollars is beyond me. Nevertheless, they are being sold, and are without a doubt one of the most environmentally unfriendly products ever created.

Shopping Bags

This really has become a hot button issue lately with many cities having banned them, and hundreds more in disucssion about if they should. Proponents of plastic bags argue that they are a nesseciety, and that banning them will only hurt the poor. But the truth of the matter is that all it takes to no longer need them is keeping canvas bags around in your car, backpack or purse when you go shopping. They cost as little as one dollar each, and will last for years. So there really is no reason why anyone shouldnt make the switch today.

By Mark Johnson

Technology is changing faster than ever, and with that comes more “stuff” – cell phones, DVD players, televisions, computers and more. How many cell phones have you had in the past year? The past five years? Waste created by outdated/unwanted electronics is growing. According to the EPA, Americans have an average of 24 electronic devices per household, yet only 12% of electronics are recycled. Before you toss that unwanted TV or cell phone, consider these alternatives:

Donate it
Many charitable organizations accept used electronics, from computers to cell phones. Check with local schools, shelters, or other aid-based organizations – especially if you’re looking for a second home for an unwanted cell phone.

Return it
Many store chains offer programs allowing you to bring old, broken, outdated or unwanted electronics into the store for recycling. Check your local Staples, Best Buy or Office Depot for their policy. When purchasing a replacement or upgraded item, ask if they’ll accept the old one for recycling.

Recycle it
According to the EPA, over one thousand municipalities offer electronics collection as part of their regular recycling services. Some offer free collection, others charge fees. At the recycling center, products are either disassembled for parts to be reused or shredded for raw materials used for future electronics manufacturing.

If you plan to donate, return or recycle any used electronics, be sure any personal information is deleted completely. Many organizations will delete any personal information for you, or you can do it manually. For cell phones, remove the SIM card and consult the users manual for directions on completing a factory reset.

Flickr: brieahearn

Even as people are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental impact, millions of electronic devices are still being hauled off to the landfill. With new models constantly rolling out, used cell phones, computers, MP3 players, and every electronic device in between are being unnecessarily discarded. Not only is this extremely wasteful, but these electronics leak all kinds of toxic runoff into the soil and water surrounding the landfill.

Realizing this problem, many companies have started refurbishing electronics (especially cell phones and computers) to prevent them from ending up in landfills. There is now a growing refurbished electronics market that gives consumers a cheaper and greener option for obtaining new gadgets.

Unlike the term “new,” there is not a strict definition for items sold as “refurbished.” Often, items labeled as refurbished have simply been used and returned within a short trial period and can no longer be sold as new. These devices are sent back to the manufacturer, who restores them to their original, new condition and re-sells them, usually with a warranty.

Refurbishing electronics is a win-win-win situation for consumers, retailers and the environment. Refurbished cell phones have become increasingly popular and are available from smaller companies like Credo Mobile as well as mobile phone giants like AT & T.

Credo Mobile refurbishes their phones (like the Samsung M300 and the Sanyo Katana) by rebuilding them from used parts. Priced at $9.99 and free, respectively, with a two-year contract, these refurbished phones are  much more affordable than their “new” counterparts. Credo’s refurbished phones come with a one-year warranty.

The refurbished phones from AT&T are all phones that have been returned during the company’s 30-day trial period, restored to their original quality, and independently tested. AT & T offers a bevy of refurbished phones at significantly discounted prices, including the ever-popular iPhone and Blackberry. Their refurbished cell phones come with a 90-day warranty and the same 30-day return policy that the company gives with its new phones.

This trend of refurbishing electronic devices seems to be a no-brainer: people can buy cheaper phones, companies can still make money from phones that have been returned, and fewer electronic devices are being added to the mountains of gadgets already piled up in landfills.

By Elizabeth Wolfe