Old Cellphone? Recycle It!

All of us have them—cell phones sitting in a drawer, slowly dying from disuse. At one time they served their purpose, but they are now just junk that is cluttering up the place. Maybe we switched carriers, and our “old faithful” would not work on the new carrier’s network? Or maybe we upgraded to a “smartphone” and no longer have a need for that old “candy bar” phone? But is there still some value in that old clunker? I'm glad I asked! Yes there is!

Use it as an emergency phone

All cell phones, regardless of carrier, are required to allow calls to 9-1-1. Just make sure your old friend is charged. Throw it in the glove box of your car, or in a drawer. If something unfortunate ever happens, you will have an emergency communication device at hand. Many of us drive with our cell phones out on the seat of the car for various reasons. Slam the breaks on suddenly and watch your precious smartphone go flying. Where would it go in the case of an accident? Knowing you have an emergency phone in the glove compartment can give you extra peace of mind.

 

Use it for the programs (applications) it contains

Backup alarm

I have an old cellphone in my bedroom as a backup alarm clock. In case the power goes out, for whatever reason, it will not affect my cellphone. If the main alarms go down due to no power, I know that my trusty cellphone will still wake me up in time to go to work. Being a cellphone, it sets its time automatically to the servers, so it always shows the right time. And if it is plugged into A/C power, when the power goes down? It still works since it runs off of its battery. You can use your regular cellphone in this regard as well, but sometimes you do not want to always keep your cellphone in your bedroom while you sleep.

Timer

Most cellphones have a built-in timer. This is great if you are cooking something. Just set the timer on the old cell and place it on the counter (or take it with you for a very handy mobile reminder. When not in use, old faithful can sit in a drawer, ready for service.

Calculator

Ever need to do some quick math and not remember where you placed that calculator? Well, if you have a charged cellphone around—there is your calculator.

Recycle it

Cellphones contain harmful chemical and compounds inside of them. If thrown away, those chemicals go either into a landfill and can wind up leeching those poisons into the environment, or if incinerated, those toxins can go into the air we breathe. Neither option is cool. There are numerous free options available that are both good for the environment and good for the world.

Staples

Take your old cellphones and/or charges to your local Staples store. They will accept it regardless of where you originally purchased the phone. This is a free service that the fine folks at Staples provide.

Troops

Donate your used cellphones to those brave men and women who serve in our armed forces.

Recycle

Send your cellphone to these fine folks and they will take care of it for you. If it is operable, they will resell it. If not, they will recycle those parts that are working into making other working cellphones. If it cannot be recycled, they will ensure that it is disposed of properly.

I am certain that there are many other uses for old cellphones. If you think of one that you would like to share, just write it down in the comments. If this article is revised later, and your ideas are incorporated into the revision, I will be sure to give you the credit.