Dell, Goodwill help make more room for the new stuff

OK, Dell and Goodwill Industries International have just added a whole lot more connection sites -- 445 in total -=- where you can recycle computer equipment (ANY brand, not just Dell) and accessories at no cost.

Their five-year-old program, called the Reconnect Partnership, now covers more than 1,900 locations nationwide. States where the new sites were added include Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee. You WILL receive a tax receipt for your donation BUT YOU are responsible for wiping any drives clean of personal data. Dell and Goodwill don't take ownership of that part.

Over its existence, Reconnect has collected more than 96 million pounds of potential e-waste, creating 250 green jobs along the way and keeping this equipment out of landfills. Depending on the condition, the stuff you drop off will be refurbished, broken down for parts or resold.

Incidentally, if for some reason you are nowhere near a Reconnect location, the Electronics TakeBack Coalition runs a site (www.goodrecyclers.com) where you can scope out other recycling or donation options.