cut the cords

Gather the clutter—there are plenty of places to take old electronics to get them out of your home for good. The best part? They may get a second life with someone else!

With every great electronic detox comes a game plan. Knowledge of where and how to donate your old electronics will make it much easier to part with them. (Yes, we mean the Walkman you’ve been holding onto since ‘79.) Here are some ideas.

Recycle

Because electronics are not permitted to be disposed of like regular trash (too many toxins), Marion County has provided the community with various drop-o locations for the safe recycling of electronics. The designated green compactor boxes are labeled “electronics recycling.”

Items eligible for donation are as follows:

• Televisions and remote controls

• Cell phones and chargers

• Stereos, CD players, radios, tape recorders

• Computers, monitors and keyboards

• Digital clocks

• Telephones and answering machines

• Scanners, fax machines and printers

DROP-OFF LOCATIONS:

Ocala

Baseline Recycling Center

5601 SE 66th Street, Ocala

Dunnellon 4232 S U.S. Highway 41, Dunnellon

Go Green

Even if it’s not the latest and greatest gadget, most cellular devices can be sold directly to a buyer for cash. Shop around; some phone companies o er a store credit for tradeins, while online services send cash for the exchange of ancient electronics.

Martel Recycling Center

296 SW 67th Avenue Road, Ocala

Forest Corner 950 S Highway 314A, Ocklawaha

Amnesty Day

Newton Recycling Center 1750 NW 100th Street, Ocala

Fort McCoy 12195 E Highway 316, Fort McCoy

The City of Ocala will hold a Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste Collection on Saturday, July 8 from 9am to 2pm. The collection site is located at NE 14th Street and NE 8th Avenue. Electronic recycling of computers will include certified data destruction. This is a safe way to discard your electronics with knowledge that they won’t sit in a landfill.

Weirsdale 13535 SE 164th Street, Weirsdale

Unsubscribe

Mental electronic clutter can be just as unsatisfying as physical clutter. An unruly flow of emails can ultimately lead to confusion. Although it may be unreasonable to unsubscribe from every company that sends you mail, you can take a few minutes each day to unsubscribe from a couple messages at a time. Your inbox should only contain mail you want to open.