I want to tell you about our new charity partner, Computer Aid, and how we got involved with them.
As an IT consultant I see new computer hardware coming onto the market at a frightening pace. What was cutting edge only a few years ago now seems clunky and slow.
Like many people, I’m an unashamed enthusiast for the latest technology. I love nothing more than helping our clients gain an edge on their competition by using the newest, most innovative kit.
But this constant refreshing of equipment started giving me cause for concern. What happens to all the old equipment? Does it get reused, or do we just chuck it out and carry on eating up the earth’s resources to make more? This was an alarming thought given that it takes 240kg of fossil fuels, 22kg of chemicals and 1,500 litres of water to produce just one computer.
There are recycling programmes out there but it seems they haven’t yet made much of an impact. A government initiative, WEEE, insists that high street retailers take back end of life hardware. But how many people bother to return old hardware stuff to the high street or even know they can do this?
As much as I’d like to do something about this bigger picture, I had to face up to the fact that change has to start at home. Or, in my case, given my role as a technology consultant, at work. I needed to find somewhere I could safely send old technology knowing that it would be properly reused. To that end please do checkout your local Recycling facilities hereor if you are in Haringey as we are checkout this helpful page.
With this in mind I was on the lookout for a reputable computer recycling company. Like so many times in the past, my mum came to the rescue! She heard about a charity called Computer Aid from Denis Goldberg on BBC Radio 4 and suggested I find out about them.
I was keen not only to donate older PC’s but also help to refurbish machines ready for redistribution. At the same time, I needed to make our clients’ sensitive data was handled responsibly.
After contacting Computer Aid, I loaded up the car with some old hardware and went to meet the charity’s Darren Taylor to find out more about what they do. (Here’s a picture of me with Darren and his blog of our meeting).
Computer Aid is a UK-registered charity
Darren told me that Computer Aid is a UK-registered charity that collects IT equipment for distribution to hospitals, universities, schools and not-for-profit organisations in over 100 countries. Their aim is to use IT to reduce poverty and create a world where rich and poor have equal access to computers. Here’s an example of some of the fantastic work Computer Aid does.
The meeting with Darren was inspirational and I decided this was an organisation I would be delighted to work with. As a result, a member of my team visits Computer Aid once a month to deliver any old computers we have collected from clients and to volunteer our time to re-condition them for recycled use.
If you have any old computers or know of anyone who might be looking to donate some, please put them in touch with Darren Taylor – Darren@computeraid.org – or me, and I will be happy to clarify the process. Computers should be a minimum spec of P4 2.5ghz, VGA cables, USB Keyboards and mice, TFT Screens and Power cables are of interest too.
At techrelate we have ideas about how to save electricity, recycle equipment and dispose of it safely – to talk about how we can help your organisation address green issues please call on 03300100201.