Sharing the Computer Wealth

Paper, cans, and bottles are often recycled, but what about computers? It's estimated that only about 10 percent of the 15 million computers taken out of service each year are recycled. Worse yet, most machines, many still usable, either end up in the trash or thrown into storage. Meanwhile, schools, nonprofit organizations, churches, and disabled people go without computers or contend with obsolete machines. That's where Share the Technology Computer Recycling Project (www.sharetechnology.org) saw an opportunity. The New Jersey nonprofit set up a national computer donation database on the Internet. "Our organization provides a way to connect people with computers they no longer need with the people who need them," says Project President Barry Cranmer. "[The site is] like a giant community bulletin board covered with three-by-five cards."

Computer seekers simply scan the postings of available computers. Then, they contact the donor and arrange pick-up. Local donations are encouraged to avoid shipping costs. If a donor can't be found, computer seekers can list what they're looking for. All listings are free. "Most of the machines being donated these days are early Pentiums, so most donation seekers understand they will probably not receive state-of-the-art equipment," notes Cranmer. But if the site isn't able to help you, there's a similar site at www.computers.fed.gov/School/ user.asp. It offers surplus federal government computers for K–12 public, private, parochial, and home schools that need them.