If you're reading this article, you probably own a computer, tablet, or smartphone. It is also likely that you have at least one unused or broken device languishing in a closet somewhere. What exactly is the responsible thing to DO with these things?

We at the Reserve have struggled with this dilemma for quite a while. Old technology was piling up in the farmhouse woodshed like cordwood. Although we didn't know what to do with it, we knew we didn’t want it ending up in the landfill.

This summer our sustainability intern, Jill Comanchero from Antioch University New England, investigated local solutions to dealing with "e-waste." She found that Dell Computer and Goodwill Industries have joined forces to form ReConnect (dellreconnect.com), a free e-waste recycling program.

E-waste can be brought to any of the 2,600+ participating Goodwill drop-off centers for shipment to a Dell location in the United States, where it can be refurbished and resold or broken down into parts for reuse or recycling. The program ensures that potentially harmful chemicals such as mercury, lithium, and plastics are handled safely.

This summer, we brought two carloads of outdated or broken electronics to the Biddeford Goodwill location. Donation center employees gladly helped us unload our cargo.