Old computers diverted from dumpsters to desks

Story and photo by Faye Powell
The Portland Upside
October 2009

Free Geek, an innovative computer and electronics reuse/recycling nonprofit, is one of the best places to take unwanted electronics, says production manager Dave Haskins (pictured).

We Oregonians are so green we practically exude chlorophyll. In fact, I have a friend who is so conscientious that she accumulates only one small bag of landfill-bound trash a month. Indeed, recycling is such a well-established way of life in Portland that “Renew, Reuse, Recycle” could be our regional motto.

Convincing Oregonians to recycle may be a no-brainer, but locating the right collection site for the right items can be daunting. And once we drop off our discards, how many of us know what happens to them afterwards?

Electronic products—computers and cell phones, as well as peripherals like keyboards, mice, modems, printers, cartridges, and cables—pose a particular environmental problem because of the toxic materials they contain and the frequency with which we replace them. This year’s conversion from analog to digital signal also added thousands of out-dated televisions to the electronic waste stream.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the United States produces 300 million tons of electronic waste annually. About 80% ends up in domestic landfills or is shipped overseas to developing countries where children and adults often pick barehanded through smoldering piles of e-waste with known toxic substances like lead, cadmium, mercury and flame-retardants. These carcinogens shorten lives as well as pollute the atmosphere and water supplies. Although the U.S. Congress has considered a number of bills to deal with responsible disposal of e-waste, none has passed.

Oregon, however, is again ahead of the curve. In 2007, the legislature passed a bill that established Oregon E-Cycles, a program financed by electronics manufacturers and jointly implemented with the Department of Environmental Quality.

Beginning January 1, 2009, the law permits consumers to recycle, free of charge, up to seven computers, monitors and televisions at a time, at various statewide collection sites. The sites meet rigorous guidelines for safe handling and environmentally sound practices. In addition, starting January 1, 2010, Oregon law will prohibit any electronics from being discarded as trash.
According to Penny Erickson of Metro, 320 tons of computers, monitors and televisions have already been recycled this year under the Oregon E-Cycles program. While the current law mandates that only computer, monitor and television manufacturers pay the cost of recycling, it is hoped that future modifications of the law will include other electronic products as well.

Free Geek, one of the most innovative of the Oregon E-Cycles collection sites, is a Portland nonprofit and pioneer in the area of technology reuse and recycling. Established in 2000 by former architect Oso Martin, Free Geek began with a room full of cast-off computers and a group of volunteers who sorted, separated, tested and rebuilt them. This was the beginning of Free Geek’s adoption program that remains a keystone of the organization today.

Through his work with various community organizations, Martin saw a need to get usable technology into the hands of those who otherwise could not afford it. Around the same time, e-waste came on the radar of municipalities, and soon the City of Portland was passing its old computers on to Free Geek. Since they began nine years ago, Free Geek has put over 15,000 computers back into the community. Last year Free Geek provided 1200 computers free of charge, and this year they have already given away over 2,000.

Located in southeast Portland, Free Geek is a freewheeling, high-energy whirl of activity in a large building divided into areas for donation collection, teaching, computer building, sales, and warehousing.

ave Haskins, Free Geek’s production coordinator, is a tall, lean, twenty-something who fits right in with his geeky generation. He started as a volunteer in 2002 and joined the staff six months later. His enthusiasm for the Free Geek mission is contagious.

“I picked up computers like a bad habit over the years,” Haskins says. “I strongly believe the best thing anyone can do with their unwanted computer is bring it to us. If it can’t be reused, it will be recycled in the most environmentally sound manner … through Oregon E-Cycles.”

At present Free Geek engages about 1,000 active volunteers, including an 85-year-old former Royal Air Force World War II veteran with no previous computer experience. He has now built over 500 computers. According to Haskins, once people get past the fear factor, anyone can build and repair a computer. He says you can’t pay for this kind of education and experience at any computer school. And volunteers are eligible for a free computer after 24 hours of working in the adoption program (no hands-on experience) or after building five computers for Free Geek.

Although only manufacturers of computers, monitors and televisions fund recycling through Oregon E-Cycles, Free Geek recycles all non-reusable electronics through responsible companies at its own expense. Printers, complex machines made to be disposable, are one of the largest areas of e-waste right now, and hopefully will be added to the E-Cycles program through future legislation.

Most of the computers Free Geek refurbish are around three years old. In the thrift store they sell from $90 to $250. All kinds of computer-related products are also available. In addition to getting a bargain, Haskins says you have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve bought a product with a neutral carbon footprint.

“I feel we [Free Geek] are really a social change organization,” Haskins adds. “We take what some view as a waste stream, take amazing volunteers, have a synergy with them, rebuild and recycle this technology and recycle it right back out there into the community.”

In addition to Free Geek, several other organizations participate in Oregon E-Cycles, including the 90 Goodwill donation sites (See sidebar), Far West Fibers, Total Reclaim, Inc., and Metro.

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Free Geek is located at 1731 SE 10th Ave, Portland, OR and online at www.freegeek.org They can be reached at 503-232-9350. For a complete list of organizations that participate in the Oregon E-Cycles program, go to www.deq.state.or.us/ecsearch

Faye Powell is a retired librarian who now feels challenged to peek inside the mysterious CPU. She can be contacted via phaysee1@gmail.com