Oregon is known to be a pretty green state both in scenery and environmental attitudes. Starting in February many televisions will require a converter box to work. The newest trend of HD television is already causing an uproar.
If you purchase a new television because of the new regulations coming in February I encourage you to recycle your old set. Instead of throwing it away and having it end up in the landfill and letting it get crushed, give it to someone - use it in a media room for movies or games. When we throw them away and they are crushed they release harmful toxins into the ground that over time can get into the ground water.
Oregon is trying to be one step ahead - because much of our state depends on ground water for domestic water supplies we have to be careful of what we put in the ground. Everything we put in the ground can end up in our water.
Starting in January every county in Oregon will have a drop site for electronics such as televisions, computers, computer monitors and all those other things that we upgrade all too often now days. Watch for info in your area about where you can drop off your old electronic devices free of charge.
You can read more from Z21
The government's forcing everyone to go to this HD TV thing is VERY confusing, especially to the older people. I don't think it's explained correctly in the media. Many people think they will have to go out and buy new TVs and that may not necessarily be true. Of course some will but I think it's a limited few. I'm still not clear as to why this HAS to be done...why can't it be an individual choice.
Thesa: This is a great idea, and one whose time has come. I recently saw a video on TV about a company that recycles electronic equipment. In the end, it all gets scrunched into this monstrous grinder that smushes it into little one-inch or smaller pieces, and then recycles it from there. A great idea. By the way... please forgive all the "technical" words I had to use in this comment... LOL.
Thesa, I think these recycling places are wonderful. They afford us each the opportunity to get rid of something that we no longer want or use. ;-)
That's so true! The toxins are dangerous and we need to dispose of properly or recycle. Great info Thesa!
Wow, Thesa! You're already recycling a plasma television. I just bought my first one a couple of years ago. It's a little 24-incher that sits in the office by all the computers. It's still my only plasma television, so if you're recycling that big thing, well, email me and I'll provide you with my shipping address. Thanks. LOL
Great post, Thesa... I agree completely. Too much stuff ends up in our landfills already.
Good idea, but you don't have to throw the old set away! What a lot of people don't understand is that it will still work just fine iwth the little box thingie. I think this conversion is just a lame attempt to sell us more television sets!
It IS a lame attempt to get us to "upgrade" just like the software industry forces us to every so often. Somebody has to profit eh? In any case...you make a VERY good point Thesa, for all those Americans who MUST have the latest gadget, not to put their previous ones in the waste stream.
As for us...hubster and I will be unaffected - we don't watch TV in the conventional manner. It's amazing to think of the THOUSANDS of commercials we've never seen. :D
This is a fantastic service to the residents of Oregon! Hopefully Austin will follow your lead.
;)
Thank goodness I don't have to worry about that.
I'm glad there are places to recycle these. There must be a lot of people for whom our "throw-outs" would be an upgrade. Lots of places could use our old computers, too.
Hmmmm... I haven't heard of recycling TV's. 'Guess it's something to check out for our area - to mention in my local blog, since I don't have to face this issue myself.
GREAT advice!! I did not know about their releasing toxins...but it sure makes sense. Thanks for keeping us updated. GBU!
Thesa - The more we can recycle the better. I had not hear of recycling TV's before, around here we recycle old computers.
There is always Freecycle.org, too - it's like Craigslist only you can't sell anything, you can only give it away (or ask for something).
My husband was all set to burn some used carpets we had; I told him that someone could use them (and I was horrified at the smoke and stench it would create...) He didn't believe me. But by the time he came home that afternoon from work the carpets were GONE! I freecycled 'em. ;)