In today's difficult economy, we're all looking for as much extra cash as possible. After all, unemployment continues to go up. More companies are forcing their employees to take unpaid days off. It's tough out there.
But there is one avenue of extra spending money that many fail to investigate: their old mobiles.
Mobile phone technology is constantly evolving. Manufacturers are unleashing new models of phones seemingly every day. This is good for us: The new cell phones make it easier than ever to stay in contact with loved ones or business associates. They also make our lives easier and more efficient.
However, these constant advancements in mobile technology aren't always good for the environment. That's because they encourage us to constantly update our handsets. What, then, happens to our old, no longer trendy handsets?
Many of us will simply toss our old mobiles into desk drawers, closets or basement storage boxes. Others, though, will throw them into the trash.
Environmentally unsound
That last option is unfortunate: More than 60 million old mobile phones end up in landfills across the country each year. This is a serious problem.
For one thing, landfill space is filling up quickly. Having so many mobile phones swallowing this space only makes things worse.
Secondly, mobile handsets are especially dangerous items to have sitting in landfills. Many old mobiles contain dangerous chemicals such as mercury, lithium and cadmium. What happens if these toxic chemicals seep into the soil? They can end up in our waterways. This is not a situation anyone wants.
A better choice
That's where phone recycling comes in. When you recycle your old, unwanted mobile, you divert it from the waste stream. This means it does not end up in the bottom of a landfill somewhere.
You can donate your old mobile to a charity or perhaps drop it off at a drop location operated by your municipality.
If you want to earn some extra money from your old phone, though, you'll want to work with one of the many private recycling companies serving the country.
Fortunately, these companies are easy to find. Simply do an online search for "Mobile Phone Recycling" and you'll turn up page after page of online retailers eager to accept your soon-to-be discarded handset.
Some of the more popular of these companies are envirofone, selloldphone.co.uk, Recycling Appeal and Greensource Solutions. But these are just a few of the many UK companies offering their own mobile phone recycling programs.
How they work
The programs are relatively simple. Once you visit the Web site, you simply select your particular used mobile phone from a long list. Once you've done this, the site will evaluate your particular model and then tell you exactly how much cash it's willing to give you for your old mobile.
You can accept or decline the offer. If you decline, simply try another site. You never know, another company might offer you a better deal for the same unwanted mobile phone.
If you accept the offer, the company will more than likely send a padded envelope your way. Once you receive it, drop your phone into it and send it off. The company will then send you the agreed-upon payment.
Recycling your old mobile phone is a move you can feel good about. Many of the private companies operating in this field donate old mobiles to charities or individuals who can't afford mobile phones but certainly need them. Others refurbish the phones. All of them, though, keep them from ending up in landfills.
Mobile phone recycling needs to become a bigger trend here. Do your part and recycle your own mobile phone today.
You may also wish to learn more about recycling mobile phones, in which case you may find the following information on Recycling Mobile Phones for Cash [http://www.cash-for-phones.org.uk/] of interest. Further information on recycling mobile phones can be found in another discussion on how recycling mobiles for cash works [http://www.cash-for-phones.org.uk/how-recycling-phones-for-cash-works/].
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