Recycle Your Electronics (And Get Paid!) With YouRenew.com

Want to get paid to recycle your electronics? It's so much easier to do the right thing when there's a cash bonus being dangled in front of you! You may not know it, but electronics like cell phones and laptops leak lead, mercury, and other icky stuff into our trash and water systems. That's where YouRenew comes in! Started by college buddies out of their dorm room, YouRenew coaxes you into going the extra step to recycle old electronics for some cash money. Search through their site and find the electronics you're trying to ditch by answering a few quick questions about the basics for your item (Does it turn on? Do you have the charger?). It then analyzes the data and tells you how much they'll pay for it. Print out the pre-paid shipping label and send it away (aka: make room for that fancy new iPhone!) and they'll pay you via PayPal! YouRenew will then either fix them up and resell them, or send them to their recycling partner. Some examples of what you can get back: a working 32GB iPhone can get you up to $396, and up to $20 for your Harry Potter box set of DVDs. Log on the YouRenew.com and see what you can get for those old electronics you have lying around!

One Man's Recyclables Are Another Man's... Furniture?

How is it that a living space can get so cluttered? Some people are lucky and are born with the "organized and tidy" gene. I got the "cluttered pack-rat" gene instead. With every new beginning, I promise myself that I will only keep what is absolutely necessary and all that is not under that category will be swiftly thrown, recycled or donated. Instead, there are piles of fashion and gossip magazines dotting my floor, suitcases holding clothes because my closet and dressers are full and shelves of random knick-knacks, accessories and souvenirs that I swear are sentimental, but probably wouldn't notice if they were gone. Some fellow pack-rats have found a creative and environmental way to rid our already small living spaces of junk and clutter and produce objects that are beautiful, funky and totally useful! From trash-cans and large vases made from old magazines (i could make a patio set) to bright, extravagant chandeliers made from "stuff" and a place to rest your feet made up of shoes that used to be on them, innovative designers are helping lighten the land-fill load and make our homes more fun and functional! Because the items are made of recyclables, subtle details will be different, ensuring that you truly have a one-of-a-kind piece. Sounds like something you've been looking for to help set the theme of a new house, or to spruce up a room? Check out the slideshow to see some favorite recycled furniture ideas and find one for your space!

Bag of the Week: Vegan Queen's "The Queen Goes Green" Tote

I recently completed a story for AOL on eco-totes that are meant to replace plastic grocery bags, and working on it was an eye-opening experience. Yes, I know plastic bags sit in dumps forever €“ well actually, for 10,000 years before they break down. But did you know that the world consumption of plastic bags is over 4 trillion, of which 14 billion is US use alone? Oh, and only 1 percent of those plastic bags are actually recycled. Many end up on the ground, get washed away, birds tangle in them, marine life is affected. It's very scary, but not a problem we can't solve. Click READ MORE for a bag that's all about helping.

Blog > recycling

Recycle Your Electronics (And Get Paid!) With YouRenew.com

One Man's Recyclables Are Another Man's... Furniture?

Bag of the Week: Vegan Queen's "The Queen Goes Green" Tote

Earlier on Blog

exclusive

polls

slides

video

Q&A

deals