The growing competition amongst manufacturers has introduced the world to wonders like never before, including the smartphone, HDTV, iPad and the high-power laser pen.  But all the new gadgetry also a  has a flipside, as it directly influences our ecosystem.

As mentioned by Retrevo:

“Based on a 2008 EPA report, we calculate that by the end of 2010 there will be so much e-waste accumulated (since the year 2000), it could cover the island of Manhattan in old electronics three feet deep.”

This along with the fact that in 10 years from now there will be an amount of e-waste to fill enough garbage trucks to circle the world twice is certainly not an optimistic one. Furthermore, based on a Retrevo census covering over 7,500 U.S and international households, only 39% recycle of participants recycle their old electronics, and 61% don’t. The chief reason for that are individuals’ good intentions but lack of action, followed by unavailability of local means of convenient recycling, unawareness to exactly ‘how’ to do so and coming in last, simply not caring about the subject.

With 28% e-waste recycling rates in the U.S, manufactures and resellers also noticed this growing problem. In consequence, Costco, Apple, Office Depot, ecoATM and more offer recycling services and trade ins / mildly hinted promotional insensitive, in addition to Best Buy’s national-scale effort to collect 1 billion pounds of old electronics for recycling.  It’s a program even I’ve tried out once.

Making the public, manufacturers and merchants more aware of the serious ecological damage e-waste can potentially cause  is a vital step in finding use of all the piles of suffocating old phones, MP3 players, TV’s and computers that engulf the planet.  On the brighter side however, giving away an outdated piece of tech can also get one a great deal on his next purchase, and even some quick cash at the manufacturer, even if it is only a gift card you end up buying for yourself.  That’s the ultimate reward, right?