July 11, 2008

Be Environmentally Conscious AND Get Some Money Back

Well, we know we can't just throw that old computer in the dumpster...but until recently many of us mainly worried about completely removing all of the data before tossing, and not so much about where the "trash" went after that. However, recycling is becoming a higher priority as both awareness (and ways to recycle) grow.

Lenovo recently announced its Asset Recovery Services, which includes computer take-back, data destruction, refurbishment and recycling. According to a Lenovo spokesperson:

Lenovo also offers additional services including inventory, value assessment, on-site deinstallation and data encryption. Lenovo can facilitate donation of the old computers or can help customers receive cash back for them. After three years, typically, a customer can receive 10 to 15 percent of the value back of the original purchase price of the computer.

With this eco-solution, customers can fulfill green information technology commitments knowing their equipment is disposed of in a secure and environmentally-responsible way. The computers are discarded with data destruction performed according to the U.S. Department of Defense standards. According to Gartner, managing data security and privacy risks followed by environmental risks are top customer concerns when it comes to computer disposal.

As the number of computers increases in the U.S. and older ones are retired, recycling programs are helping give new life to end-of-life products. Lenovo first prioritizes refurbishment and reuse and then focuses on recycling. In 2007, Lenovo managed or financed the proper disposal of more than 38 million pounds, or the weight of more than 7.6 million bricks, of Lenovo owned or customer returned computer equipment. More than 93 percent of that was reused as products or recycled as materials.

Many of the recovered computer materials are recycled into new products, such as automobiles, park benches, concrete filler and even into some Lenovo products....As part of Lenovo's Environmentally Conscious Products Program, the company considers the environment when designing its products by making them close to 100 percent recyclable, using recycled materials where possible and making them more energy-efficient.

Laura Leites, Assistant Editor, Smallbiztechnology.com

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