Why businesses should recycle their tech
Companies have a disturbing tendency to dispose of their old tech as if it were merely gum wrappers, only to spend thousands of dollars on new equipment. It has given rise to much criticism of these same companies, who cannot help what they do, or make no attempt to help the situation, with knowledge of the problem.
The problem is that landfills are gaining unimaginable piles of this tech, causing some large environmental concerns. Materials from computers, phones, and other electronics are leaking into the land, water and air, posing a threat to surrounding ecosystems, and of more serious concern, to humans.
Clearly, recycling tech is a better option than discarding it. However, companies may need more incentive. Consider your own business. If there was a way to recycle the old tech to benefit the environment, while at the same time benefit your business in a number of ways, would this give you enough incentive to participate?
In this article, we will discuss why businesses should recycle their tech. We will look at the benefits for your business first, and then wrap up with the environmental benefits.
Benefits for the Business
Recycling your tech can bring more benefits to your business than you may imagine. The ones we will discuss here are:
1. Economic savings
2. Improved work environment
3. Improved housekeeping
4. Strengthened brand
Economic Savings
Are you aware that recycling, in general, is less expensive than waste removal? Waste removal companies charge their customers by weight. This can be a problem if you frequently have absorbent things in your dumpsters, the water they absorb can be quite substantial, and can add weight to your waste, and increase your bill.
It can also save you money if you buy your computer equipment new. Instead of throwing away your old computers, use them toward the purchase of new equipment. If you decide to go with a different manufacturer, you may still wish to see if the manufacturer of the old equipment might compensate you for it.
Improved Work Environment
Very few things unite people more than having a common cause. Concern about the environment is widespread, regardless of which country you might think of. After all, the earth is our home.
This concern carries through to the workplace as well. Most employees gladly recycle their aluminum cans and plastic bottles, and they are not afraid to raise their voice if someone falls short.
The point is, they expectto recycle, even at the workplace. When they see their employer taking an active part in initiatives that help the environment, such as recycling old computers or other devices, they see their employer as responsible. It contributes to an overall feeling of belongingto a cause, as well as a sense of unity among fellow employees and upper management too.
Improved Housekeeping
Step into the buildings of many companies, and somewhere, either hidden in the racks on a pallet or stuffed into a corner in a cubicle, you might find a pile of old computers or other electronic devices. These piles of tech do little more than collect dust or clutter up the spaces they take up.
Clutter itself, according to many studies, has a significant negative impact on productivity. It has also been said to produce stress. Neither one of these will be of benefit to your business.
Therefore, in actively and regularly recycling your old tech, clutter is removed, contributing to a clutter-less work environment, which in turn keeps your staff efficient and less stressed.
Strengthened Brand
With perhaps billions of environmentally-conscious people throughout the earth, they will always be on the lookout for a company that is committed to environmental initiatives. It does your company’s reputation a world of good. When this happens, it will reflect well on your brand.
Research indicates that companies committed to sustainability actually outperform companies that do not. Prospective clients who are as committed to the environment as your company will be highly likely to choose your company as a business partner.
Benefits for the Environment
Recycling your tech has obvious and numerable to the environment. The greatest benefit of all is that when you keep your old tech out of the landfills, you will keep heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, from poisoning the environment – and humans.
E-waste also contains non-renewable resources. These are also accumulating in the landfills. However, they are not useless. When recovered, they can be reused to manufacture new products. This can benefit the manufacturers too in massive raw material cost-savings.
Summary
There is no question that recycling, as we have discussed here, is not something frivolous. It benefits your company as well as the environment. If your company is not participating in a green initiative, you may want to consider doing so.
