E-Waste & Sustainability Archives

Where Does E-Waste Go? The Truth About Recycling Old Tech

Illustration showing old electronics going to a local repair shop before three possible outcomes: trash, recycling, or donation for reuse.

Recycling is not the whole story. Once your old phone, laptop or console leaves the house, it takes one of three paths, and documented investigations show “recycled” does not always mean recycled. Here is what really happens on each path, the one stop most devices skip, and how to run your own Tech Cleanout.

How to Deal With Old Phones, Laptops and Electronics

What to do with old phones, laptops and electronics: keep, repair, reuse and recycle in that order.

There is a right order for old phones, tablets, laptops, consoles and watches: keep it, repair it, reuse it, then recycle it. Here is how to decide which step yours is on, how to wipe it first, and where it should go next.

Urban Mining 2026: Old Devices Are the New Gold Rush

Old phones, circuit boards and electronics representing urban mining and the recovery of gold, copper and critical minerals from e-waste.

Your junk drawer is holding gold, copper, and rare earths the tech world is scrambling for. How urban mining works, and how to put your old devices back into the supply chain.

Should I Repair or Replace My Phone? What Big Tech Doesn’t Want You to Know

Cracked smartphone on a repair workbench with tools beside it and the text “Repair or Replace? What Big Tech Doesn’t Tell You,” highlighting the choice between fixing a broken phone or buying a new one.

Before you upgrade, there’s a cost nobody talks about — the research spiral, the price shopping maze, the salesperson, the trade-in gap that quietly costs you hundreds. And the people selling you new devices are the last ones you should ask for advice. Here’s what the real decision actually looks like, and how to find someone you can trust.

Reuse, Recycle & Join the Movement: Your Complete Guide to Responsible Tech Care

Community tech recycling event where diverse volunteers donate and sort used phones, laptops, and electronics into reuse and recycle bins as part of a responsible e-waste and device donation movement

Reuse, Recycle & Join the Movement: Your Complete Guide to Responsible Tech (2026) Part 3 of 3 – The Tech Care Pledge Series Published: February 9, 2026 | Reading time: 7 minutes Reuse, Recycle & Join the Movement: Your Complete Guide to Responsible Tech By Rob Link, Founder & CEO, Tech Care Association In PartContinue reading “Reuse, Recycle & Join the Movement: Your Complete Guide to Responsible Tech Care”

How to Repair First & Buy Smart: Save Thousands on Tech

Graphic promoting the 2026 Tech Care Pledge reading “Fix First, Buy Smart, Waste Less,” encouraging consumers to repair electronics first and make smarter tech purchases to save money and reduce electronic waste

How to Repair First & Buy Smart: Save Thousands on Tech (2026) Part 2 of 3 – The Tech Care Pledge Series Published: January 26, 2026 | Reading time: 7 minutes How to Repair First & Buy Smart: Save Thousands on Tech By Rob Link, Founder & CEO, Tech Care Association In Part 1 ofContinue reading “How to Repair First & Buy Smart: Save Thousands on Tech”