Comments on: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Uses for an Old Cell Phone http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:21:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Skip Bins http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-920473 Skip Bins Sun, 08 Aug 2010 13:08:55 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-920473 I must have had 10 or so phones and I can not remember throwing any of them away. I will have to try and find them so I can have a recycling day... I'll find those people who pay the postage and send them all off... Maybe it will be like Woody and Buzz going to the pre-school. Now where did I put that brick? I must have had 10 or so phones and I can not remember throwing any of them away. I will have to try and find them so I can have a recycling day… I’ll find those people who pay the postage and send them all off… Maybe it will be like Woody and Buzz going to the pre-school. Now where did I put that brick?

]]> By: Student Scrooge http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-420243 Student Scrooge Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:12:03 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-420243 The only times when I have changed a cell phone over the past few years have been when I have broken or damaged the previous phone, and so donating the phone is not often an option ... but I definitely take the time to recycle it. It is a shame that people don't realize the environmental impact of throwing out a cell phone... The only times when I have changed a cell phone over the past few years have been when I have broken or damaged the previous phone, and so donating the phone is not often an option … but I definitely take the time to recycle it. It is a shame that people don’t realize the environmental impact of throwing out a cell phone…

]]> By: Ashley http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-415944 Ashley Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:00:23 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-415944 Also anyone who uses cell phones for 9-1-1 should be aware that the centers won't always know where you are when you call. When we ask where you are, we really need you to tell us. The center I work at usually only gets the location of the nearest cell phone tower, and sometimes that isn't even the case. And we are unable to call back cell phones that can only be used for 9-1-1. Also anyone who uses cell phones for 9-1-1 should be aware that the centers won’t always know where you are when you call. When we ask where you are, we really need you to tell us.

The center I work at usually only gets the location of the nearest cell phone tower, and sometimes that isn’t even the case. And we are unable to call back cell phones that can only be used for 9-1-1.

]]> By: Jenn http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-414547 Jenn Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:04:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-414547 I'd advise against giving cell phones to children as toys. California's Community Care Licensing reports, "Circuit boards in cellular phones contain arsenic, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc. The rechargeable batteries used with cellular phones contain cobalt, zinc and copper." They are really not safe toys for young children. Recycling is a much better option :) I’d advise against giving cell phones to children as toys. California’s Community Care Licensing reports, “Circuit boards in cellular phones contain arsenic, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc. The rechargeable batteries used with cellular phones contain cobalt, zinc and copper.” They are really not safe toys for young children. Recycling is a much better option :)

]]> By: Ishtar http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-414381 Ishtar Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:37:16 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-414381 I like that so many environmentally friendly things also qualify as frugal. I always give my old cellphones to family members. I like that so many environmentally friendly things also qualify as frugal.

I always give my old cellphones to family members.

]]> By: Tammy Brackett http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-413363 Tammy Brackett Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:42:47 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-413363 Instead of a cell phone, I have a tracphone - one of those pay as you go things. It is a very basic cell phone but suits me fine- alot better than a monthly bill for a contracted phone. My old cell phone (I was a slave to a contract for years...) serves as an alarm clock, a toy for gaming for my neices, and a palm pilot with names, addresses and phone numbers (did I mention the tracphone is kinda crappy?? and old??) I donated my boyfriend's old cell phone to a shelter. I just watched a horrific story on 60 Minutes about recycling electronics! Very frightening! Instead of a cell phone, I have a tracphone – one of those pay as you go things. It is a very basic cell phone but suits me fine- alot better than a monthly bill for a contracted phone. My old cell phone (I was a slave to a contract for years…) serves as an alarm clock, a toy for gaming for my neices, and a palm pilot with names, addresses and phone numbers (did I mention the tracphone is kinda crappy?? and old??) I donated my boyfriend’s old cell phone to a shelter. I just watched a horrific story on 60 Minutes about recycling electronics! Very frightening!

]]> By: Mr Porter http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-413314 Mr Porter Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:24:48 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-413314 Ditto keeping an old phone for biking and other rough activities. A second phone can also function as a second battery of sorts. My old phone still has decent battery life, so I make a point to keep it in the drawer fully-charged. So when I have somewhere to go, but realize the new phone's battery isn't charged enough to get through the rest of the day, I slip my SIM card into the old phone and take that instead. Ditto keeping an old phone for biking and other rough activities.

A second phone can also function as a second battery of sorts. My old phone still has decent battery life, so I make a point to keep it in the drawer fully-charged. So when I have somewhere to go, but realize the new phone’s battery isn’t charged enough to get through the rest of the day, I slip my SIM card into the old phone and take that instead.

]]> By: ess http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-413151 ess Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:25:45 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-413151 Keep everything that came with your cell phone, and keep all of your accessories. Do your best to keep your cell phone in good condition. Buy a cover for it. Try not to drop it five times a day. Then, when you get a new one, sell the old one on eBay. I have sold every cell phone I ever had on eBay because I didn't abuse them. I average $40 per phone, and they are usually 2+ year old models. Keep everything that came with your cell phone, and keep all of your accessories. Do your best to keep your cell phone in good condition. Buy a cover for it. Try not to drop it five times a day. Then, when you get a new one, sell the old one on eBay. I have sold every cell phone I ever had on eBay because I didn’t abuse them. I average $40 per phone, and they are usually 2+ year old models.

]]> By: BethBeth http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411889 BethBeth Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:24:11 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411889 I was checking out other websites when I came across this story and thought of your post. They say you can get gift cards from Amazon for your old cell phones and iPods. http://www.imommies.com/financial-resources/income/old-cell-phones-or-ipods-amazon-gift-cards.htm I was checking out other websites when I came across this story and thought of your post. They say you can get gift cards from Amazon for your old cell phones and iPods. http://www.imommies.com/financial-resources/income/old-cell-phones-or-ipods-amazon-gift-cards.htm

]]> By: Stephanie in AR http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411793 Stephanie in AR Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:04:30 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411793 Check and see if there is a group in your area doing a cell phone collection as a fundraiser. Our county 4H & the local Special Olympics have both had these drives. Depending on the phone, the recycling company pays a certain amount & pays the shipping. We have collected some really old phones in our drive. Check and see if there is a group in your area doing a cell phone collection as a fundraiser. Our county 4H & the local Special Olympics have both had these drives. Depending on the phone, the recycling company pays a certain amount & pays the shipping. We have collected some really old phones in our drive.

]]> By: Mikey http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411778 Mikey Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:26:52 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411778 A cell phone is e-waste and should not be dropped in the trash. From a local e-waste website: "Your old cell phone can be harmful to the environment if thrown into the trash. Cell phones contain materials such as lead, arsenic, nickel, cadmium, and other materials which can pollute the ground and water. One cell phone, tossed into a landfill, can pollute up to 40,000 gallons of groundwater!" (http://www.keepcaliforniabeautiful.com/cellrecyc.html) If you are going to dispose of it, take it to the same place where you dispose of your old computer, it's no different. A cell phone is e-waste and should not be dropped in the trash.

From a local e-waste website:
“Your old cell phone can be harmful to the environment if thrown into the trash. Cell phones contain materials such as lead, arsenic, nickel, cadmium, and other materials which can pollute the ground and water. One cell phone, tossed into a landfill, can pollute up to 40,000 gallons of groundwater!” (http://www.keepcaliforniabeautiful.com/cellrecyc.html)

If you are going to dispose of it, take it to the same place where you dispose of your old computer, it’s no different.

]]> By: liv http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411765 liv Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:05:49 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411765 One suggestion is to also just keep it in case your new cell phone breaks. (Unless you buy insurance on your phone). I upgrade my phone every 2 years (through Verizon) and 3 months before my upgrade availability was good, my phone started chipping off at certain spots and I had to frantically find a new phone off craigslist before my phone snapped in half and I barely managed to get my numbers off of it. It was also a help since my sister's phone broke a year later and i had a spare phone to give her to set up after the above lesson learned. (I guess this only works if you have the same carrier). So yeah, keep 1 cell phone as a backup. As you get new ones, you can go w/ the suggestions in the article :) One suggestion is to also just keep it in case your new cell phone breaks. (Unless you buy insurance on your phone). I upgrade my phone every 2 years (through Verizon) and 3 months before my upgrade availability was good, my phone started chipping off at certain spots and I had to frantically find a new phone off craigslist before my phone snapped in half and I barely managed to get my numbers off of it.

It was also a help since my sister’s phone broke a year later and i had a spare phone to give her to set up after the above lesson learned. (I guess this only works if you have the same carrier).

So yeah, keep 1 cell phone as a backup. As you get new ones, you can go w/ the suggestions in the article :)

]]> By: Maria http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411764 Maria Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:05:43 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411764 Cell Phone for Soldiers does NOT send the phones to the armed forces. Rather, they sell them to buy phone cards from soldiers. From their Web site: "Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to turn old cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas in 2008. To do so, Cell Phones for Soldiers expects to collect 15,000 cell phones each month through a network of more than 3,000 collection sites across the country. "The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone – enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad." Cell Phone for Soldiers does NOT send the phones to the armed forces. Rather, they sell them to buy phone cards from soldiers.

From their Web site:
“Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to turn old cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas in 2008. To do so, Cell Phones for Soldiers expects to collect 15,000 cell phones each month through a network of more than 3,000 collection sites across the country.

“The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone – enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad.”

]]> By: Andy @ Retire at 40 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411600 Andy @ Retire at 40 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:48:47 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411600 Some of the mobile phone stores here in New Zealand take your old ones for you and either refurbish or recycle them. I think the refurbished ones go to developing nations so that's good. Some of the mobile phone stores here in New Zealand take your old ones for you and either refurbish or recycle them. I think the refurbished ones go to developing nations so that’s good.

]]> By: Pete http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411568 Pete Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:54:36 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411568 Argh, if you give it to a kid, take out the battery ! Batteries with juice in them may explode if shorted. Their contents are unhealthy, you wouldn't want your child to chew on one. This all besides the 911 problem. Using the phone as an emergency phone will in an emergency probably leave you with a drained phone. I once had a modell you could actually use with 3 AAA batteries which (phone switched off) would last years. The rest of the phone didn't... Selling only works if it's a relatively new phone (about 1 year old), you won't even cover postage with older phones. Donating might be a good idea, but do clean the memory beforehand ! A recycling company might be able to extract the (precious) metalls, so they can make a profit from your trash and you can save the environment. Close to the best option IMHO. Argh, if you give it to a kid, take out the battery ! Batteries with juice in them may explode if shorted. Their contents are unhealthy, you wouldn’t want your child to chew on one.
This all besides the 911 problem.

Using the phone as an emergency phone will in an emergency probably leave you with a drained phone.
I once had a modell you could actually use with 3 AAA batteries which (phone switched off) would last years. The rest of the phone didn’t…

Selling only works if it’s a relatively new phone (about 1 year old), you won’t even cover postage with older phones.

Donating might be a good idea, but do clean the memory beforehand !

A recycling company might be able to extract the (precious) metalls, so they can make a profit from your trash and you can save the environment.
Close to the best option IMHO.

]]> By: Chad Oliver http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411461 Chad Oliver Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:24:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411461 Yay for makezine.com and hardware hacking! (note: that's not 'hacking' as in breaking into and corrupting, but rather as in legally repurposing) Yay for makezine.com and hardware hacking!

(note: that’s not ‘hacking’ as in breaking into and corrupting, but rather as in legally repurposing)

]]> By: Lynn Berry http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411447 Lynn Berry Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:42:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411447 Please donate your old cell phones to spousal abuse centers. End the violence! Please donate your old cell phones to spousal abuse centers. End the violence!

]]> By: Chris Holdheide http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411425 Chris Holdheide Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:50:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411425 I like your ideas. I tend to keep my old phone though incase my current phone gets borken for one reason or another. Instead of putting insurance on my phone I find this a great way to use my old phone. I've had to do this a few time already. I like your ideas. I tend to keep my old phone though incase my current phone gets borken for one reason or another. Instead of putting insurance on my phone I find this a great way to use my old phone. I’ve had to do this a few time already.

]]> By: kristine http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411410 kristine Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:58:33 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411410 makes a handy calculator too. makes a handy calculator too.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-411385 Cindy Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:53:33 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/11/06/reduce-reuse-recycle-uses-for-an-old-cell-phone/#comment-411385 Trent I very hardily disagree with you when you say to give it to a child to play with. Many people give children cellphones to play with and it is a nightmare for 911 centers. I am a 911 dispatcher and I have worked shifts where we receive dozens of calls from children playing with cellphones. It ties up calltakers from taking true emergency calls. Even if you chose to disable one for that purpose, the child may not understand the difference and may treat a currently activated one the same way. Trent I very hardily disagree with you when you say to give it to a child to play with. Many people give children cellphones to play with and it is a nightmare for 911 centers.

I am a 911 dispatcher and I have worked shifts where we receive dozens of calls from children playing with cellphones. It ties up calltakers from taking true emergency calls.

Even if you chose to disable one for that purpose, the child may not understand the difference and may treat a currently activated one the same way.

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