Upcycling Old Gadgets: How to Re-use Your Dated Tech
According to the World Health Organisation, humans discarded 53 million tonnes of e-waste in 2019, only 17% of which was recycled. The issue will only worsen, with the global e-waste tally ballooning by 21% every five years.
While governments and companies must do more to mitigate the carnage, there’s plenty you, the everyday consumer, can do too. One of those is upcycling your old gadgets, which we’ll show you how to do in this post.
Understanding e-waste
Before we present our nifty upcycling ideas, let’s examine the global e-waste conundrum.
E-waste refers to any broken or unwanted device featuring electronic components, such as circuit boards, cables, plugs, and cords. The most common e-waste culprits include TVs, computers, household appliances, and mobile phones. The US is one of the world’s worst e-waste-creators.
Many computers and smartphones contain rare metals (think gold, silver, platinum, and cobalt) that are expensive and environmentally harmful to extract. Once these old devices end up in landfills, our finite supply diminishes, and mining companies must dig deeper to source more.
Most e-waste also contains harmful heavy metals like mercury, lead, and cadmium, as well as hazardous chemicals like flame retardants. When these poisonous elements seep into the soil and groundwater, they contaminate the environment and potentially harm our health.
Batteries are particularly problematic in landfills. As their delicate casings corrode, known carcinogens such as cadmium and nickel end up in our oceans and water supply. Gadgets with nonremovable batteries run on lithium, which can burn underground for years and ignite toxic garbage fires.
Learn How to Recycle E-Waste Responsibly in the US
Are you an eco-conscious American wondering how to dispose of your old gadgets in an environmentally friendly manner? Recycling e-waste is crucial for reducing environmental impact, so here's a guide on how to do it right.
- Prioritize Reuse: Before recycling, consider repurposing your old electronics. Reusing gadgets is even better for the environment than recycling. Explore creative upcycling ideas to give your e-waste a new lease on life.
- Donation and Sale: If upcycling isn't an option, consider donating or selling your disused devices. Many organizations accept old electronics for refurbishment or redistribution to those in need.
- Find a Recycling Center: Locate the nearest e-waste recycling center using online tools like Earth911 or e-stewards.org. The EPA also has a list of places that accept different types of e-waste for recycling.
- Check with Local Authorities: Some municipalities offer curbside e-waste collection services. Check with your local government to see if this service is available in your area and how to participate.
- Manufacturer Recycling Programs: Many tech companies, like HP, offer recycling programs for their products. HP Planet Partners, for instance, operates nationwide and accepts various electronics for responsible recycling. They even offer data sanitation services for security-conscious users.
By participating in these programs, you not only dispose of your e-waste responsibly but also contribute to a more sustainable, circular economy. Let's work together to reduce electronic waste and protect our planet for future generations.
The dark side of e-waste recycling
While recycling e-waste is better than sending it to landfills, the process isn’t without problems.
High American labor costs prompt recycling corporations to export large shipments of e-waste to developing countries in Asia and Africa, where salaries are much lower. Inadequate labor laws mean local workers, including children, may become exposed to hazardous materials as they sort through components.
The issue isn’t limited to worker safety. Inferior, low-cost disposal practices, such as open burning, increase global carbon emissions and allow harmful neurotoxicants to enter the atmosphere.
How to minimise e-waste
As there’s no perfect way to dispose of e-waste, your best bet is to reduce the amount you produce.
Do you need the latest model smartphone? Or does your current device fulfill your requirements? Don’t succumb to the hype by upgrading your tech with every new release.
Rather than purchasing a low-quality gadget requiring an upgrade soon, consider futureproofing your investment with a higher-quality device. When it comes time to upgrade, selling your old gadget delays its disposal by a few more years. Likewise, purchasing second-hand tech helps minimize e-waste.
A better alternative to regular e-waste recycling is returning your outdated gadgets to the manufacturer. A reputable company will repurpose their tech more sustainably.
Finally, you can upcycle tech to bypass e-waste recycling altogether and give the gadget a new lease on life.
Inspiring tech upcycling ideas
Now we’ve got a grip on the most pressing e-waste issues, we’ll present a handful of handy upcycling ideas. What is upcycling? The term means transforming an unwanted item (in this case, an electronic device) into something useful.
A smartphone alarm clock
Rather than tossing your outdated smartphone away, repurpose it into a dedicated bedside alarm clock. The alarm clocks of old have fallen out of favor as smartphones overtook this task, so many will appreciate the vintage tech vibes.
How to make it:
- Position your device on a smartphone stand.
- Plug the smartphone into a nearby power socket.
- Install a dedicated alarm clock app, such as Alarm Clock for Me, or use your operating system’s pre-installed app.
- Set your screen to remain on permanently if desired.
- Enable voice commands to set or disarm your alarm clock from afar.
A smartphone security camera
You can also upcycle your old smartphone into a makeshift security camera to monitor a selected area remotely. Again, you must position it close to a power socket for prolonged use.
How to make it:
- Place your smartphone so its rear camera (which has better resolution than the selfie snapper) points in the desired direction.
- Plug the smartphone into a power socket.
- Install and run a security camera app, such as Alfred.
A tablet digital photo frame
No need to toss that obsolete tablet. Even the most frustratingly slow device can have enough oomph to serve as a digital photo frame. While this upcycling trick is possible with a smartphone, the tablet is a better choice for its sizeable screen.
How to make it:
- Position your tablet in the desired location using a tablet stand.
- Plug the device into the main power.
- Create a looping slideshow of your favorite pics using the operating system’s built-in photo app or your preferred third-party software.
- Set the screen to remain on permanently or switch off each evening to reduce power consumption.
A tablet video conferencing station
Remember when the Jetsons would gather around a “videophone” to chat face-to-face in real time? You can do the same thing with a dedicated video call center made from an upcycled tablet.
Older, slower tablets mightn’t have the processing power for silky-smooth calls. In this situation, consider going the photo frame route instead. Again, this idea works with a smartphone, though a roomier tablet is the superior choice.
How to make it:
- Position your tablet in a suitable location with a tablet stand.
- Plug the tablet into the mains.
- Install and configure your favorite teleconferencing app, such as Zoom, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Skype.
- Set the tablet screen to turn off while not in use or configure it to run as a digital photo frame between calls.
A tablet e-reader
Why purchase a brand-new Kindle when you can upcycle an old tablet into a dedicated e-reader?
Android and iOS versions of Kindle and Kobo support e-books and audiobooks. The downside is that you’ll have a backlit display that isn’t as kind to your eyes. Install a blue light filter to soothe your circadian rhythms come bedtime.
How to make it:
- Remove any unnecessary programs from your tablet.
- Install your favorite e-book and audiobook apps.
- Activate the in-built blue light filter (or download and use a third-party app)
- Place your upcycled e-reader by the bedside table.
A PC media center
Got a massive media library and an old computer? One way of upcycling PCs is by plugging them into your TV as a makeshift media server.
While you could use an old-school open-source media player like VLC, many users prefer Plex. The free version automatically organizes your haphazard collection and adds attractive cover art. Plex also incorporates several free and premium streaming services.
How to make it:
- Position your computer close to the TV.
- Plug the device into the mains.
- Use an HDMI cable to connect your PC to your TV.
- Copy your video and music collection onto the PC.
- Use the media player app of your choice.
- Set the computer to switch off when not in use to conserve power.
A TV aquarium
There’s nothing like watching unhurried fish swim in circles to help you relax after a long day. Although building and maintaining an aquarium is a tiresome and expensive endeavor, a virtual fish tank is free.
Transform your aquarium into a digital fireplace for warm, cozy vibes in winter. Of course, you can also use the display as a digital photo frame.
How to make it:
- Position your old TV in a suitable location and plug it in.
- Connect your TV to an upcycled computer or a USB thumb drive with an aquarium video.
- Smart TVs can run a video straight off the internet
- Play the video on a loop.
Summary
E-waste recycling goes a long way toward reducing the environmental impact of your outdated tech. Manufacturer-devised programs like HP Planet Partners provide an even more eco-friendly alternative.
Nonetheless, the best way to minimize your impact is by reducing the e-waste you create. Reconsider any unnecessary purchases and try the simple upcycling ideas outlined above.
