Well, at least we try. Personally, I make a point to recycle as much as I can: plastic water bottles, laundry detergent containers, aluminum cans — just about anything with a recycling symbol on it, including electronics.
Before I built out my small office/home network (SOHO), running both Windows Server 2022 and Linux Ubuntu, I had to retire a few older PCs. These weren’t simple upgrades — I built two new machines from the ground up using ASUS and MSI motherboards.
I could’ve just tossed the old PCs in the trash and left them in my condo’s disposal area, but that didn’t sit right with me. I prefer to make sure that as many components as possible can be reused or recycled properly.
That’s where Best Buy — ironically a competitor in the local tech space — comes in. Their recycling program is impressively comprehensive. You can check it out at bestbuy.com. They seem to accept just about anything electronic.
I’ve dropped off old iPads, computers, even leftover CAT 5/6 cabling at their store in Westchester County, and they’ve gladly taken it.
In fact, during a service visit with a nonprofit client that operates a camp in Harriman State Park, the site manager asked if I knew how to dispose of a large, malfunctioning commercial refrigerator in an environmentally responsible way. (That one needed a different solution, but the question speaks to how often people just don’t know what to do with big, old tech.)
So at MarcB IT, we don’t just troubleshoot, configure, and install networks, PCs, and peripherals — we also make sure that any outdated electronics you’re replacing get properly discarded. When needed, we’ll even take that journey to Best Buy to ensure your hardware is recycled — not sent headlong to a landfill.
My commitment to responsible recycling actually goes back further. Years ago, when I was working as a technical writer in the office imaging industry, I used to write about companies like Xerox, Sony, Lexmark, and Konica Minolta — all of whom boasted robust recycling programs for used and depleted toner.
But the company I worked for, which tested multi-function printers and copiers in a spacious lab, wasn’t walking the talk — they were tossing spent toner cartridges in the garbage. It felt like a big paradox, especially since the OEMs were loudly promoting their green initiatives in their marketing.
So I spoke up. I approached the lab director and suggested we reach out to the OEMs directly. He agreed — and sure enough, one of the manufacturers responded positively and began removing our used toner as part of their official recycling program.
That moment stuck with me. I guess you could say that’s where my recycling chops were first established — and since then, MarcB IT and I have been carrying the recycling torch.
Need help with tech setup, repair, or safe disposal of old electronics?
Visit www.marcbussanich.com or call 646-584-3346 — we’re local, hands-on, and here to help.
