it261: Upgrading Your Tech Equipment? 9 Creative Ways to Repurpose Old Gear

Friday, 30 November 2018

Upgrading Your Tech Equipment? 9 Creative Ways to Repurpose Old Gear

What’s one creative way to get rid of old (but still functioning) computer/ tech equipment when upgrading your office’s machines?

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1. Pass It On to a Startup

Find an early-stage company with limited capital, and pass it on to them. Give them a boost when they need it most, and hopefully, the karma will continue. – Ben Lang, IT Kit

2. Host a Technology Pop-Up Store for Employees

Set up a pop-up store within your company where employees can mingle, enjoy refreshments and buy used technology for a really low price. All proceeds from the store can go to a charity or, if you have one, an emergency fund for all employees. – Eng Tan, Simplr

3. Offer It to Your Developers and Remote Team Members

Your developers often use multiple computers to work on code while your remote team may not be in a position to buy the latest and greatest. What you are trading in may be more than they have now, so they will appreciate this perk. – Peter Daisyme, Hostt

4. Give It to Homeless Shelters

The homeless can use these computers at shelters they visit to prepare resumes and stay in touch with family. This also could provide the shelters with the technology they need to run their organization. I’ve seen them in use, and it really does help on so many levels. – Angela Ruth, Calendar

5. Donate It to Local Nonprofits

This can be the start of a great relationship with local nonprofits that can use your old computer equipment for good. It’s also important to reach out to these nonprofits and see whether there’s something else that can be done other than donating equipment. There may be room for further cooperation. – Brian Condenanza, Fluo Shoes

6. Find a Local School Donation Program

Many schools have a program through which people can donate stuff like computers, hardware or any other tools. These computers/IT products can be used in the school lab and also can be given to students to experiment with and see how they function. – Piyush Jain, Simpalm

7. Give It to People Who Need It

As long as it still functions, offer it to employees. If they have no use for the item, then donate it to a nonprofit that helps people re-enter the workforce or another needy organization. Donating also gives you an opportunity to turn it into a public relations moment. You can promote your goodwill on social media and through other channels. – Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

8. Use It for Upcycling and Upgrading

You’re limited only by your own imagination when it comes to upcycling old yet functional IT equipment. Amateur and professional artists have successfully used parts of old computers to create an assortment of items such as lamps, flower pots, tissue boxes, desk fans and mailboxes. Alternatively, you may consider reusing hardware from one or more working devices to upgrade or create another. – Derek Robinson, Top Notch Dezigns

9. Recycle It

There’s a local electronics recycling facility that we take all of our old computers to. It’s better for the environment than simply trashing them, and it’s nice knowing that parts of your machines will be reused. – Adrien Schmidt, Bouquet.ai

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