Computer electronics gold

Your computer electronics contain gold in their connectors and microprocessors. Whenever you throw out a computer you are sending this gold to a landfill somewhere.

When computers are recycled, the valuable metals are separated from the hazardous materials. The metals are sold as scrap and the gold containing portions are sent to precious metals recycling companies.

But some of the computer components, still work and can be sold on internet auctions. Small components such as memory cards, sound cards and graphics cards are easily removed and sold.

Is there gold in your basement?

Basements may hide treasures just waiting to be discovered. A trained eye and strong back can sift through this clutter to separate the treasure from the trash. Organizing the clutter is half the battle. The rest of the battle involves getting rid of the junk and preventing more from stacking up.

Let's get started

Are you a collector like me? Do you fill your basement with stuff that you might find uses for someday? Have you inherited boxes of mystery stuff that have remained unopened for years? Have you run out to buy something knowing full well that you have one already but it's easier to buy one than to find it somewhere in one of those boxes? If you say yes to these questions, we probably have a a few more things in common.

But what do we do about it? It's hard to imagine selling all of that stuff. It's like selling off parts of your life. But it's also hard to keep it around because it takes up so much valuable space. Eventually it will be moved out by someone but hopefully by someone who knows the differences between antiques and junk and between gems and minerals and rocks. It would be a shame to think of these things going to landfills instead of being recognized for their true value.

In order to prevent this, we need to begin organizing our stuff. But this will need to be in a future post.