New Years Eco-lutions

Lots of us start the new year with grand plans for the year ahead. Some of us make New Year’s resolutions, ranging from getting fitter, eating healthier to taking up new hobbies. This year, why not consider making recycling your electricals part of your resolutions? 

We are providing some top tips for how to make your New Year’s resolutions greener by turning them into ‘New Year’s Eco-lutions’. From saving money to giving back to those in need, these ‘eco-lutions’ show us just how easy it is to recycle our electricals by turning traditional resolutions into green ones!

E-waste is the fastest growing source of waste in the UK and in the world – with over 155,000 tonnes of household electrical waste thrown away every year and 527 million electrical items hoarded in UK homes. 80% of us already think recycling e-waste is the right thing –  therefore, it seems fitting that recycling your old and unwanted electricals is one of your new year’s resolutions.

1) Cash strapped January? 

If one of your resolutions is to save a bit of money, especially after Christmas and during the current cost of living crisis, then why not gather up your old working electricals and sell them?   Our research found that you could make up to £620 per household by selling your old electricals. On average, the UK has one unused laptop and one unused tablet per household. The average price that could be achieved by selling a secondhand laptop is £165 while a tablet could fetch an average price of £110. Mobile phones can command an average of £110 and games consoles £125. Find out how to make money from selling your old tech here. 

2) Recycle while running!

Getting fit is one of UK householders top New Year’s resolutions, with research showing that 43% of people chose this as their top commitment. Try incorporating doing good in your gym activities by including recycling into your fitness frenzy by collecting up your old cables, headphones or phone, popping them in a bag, and heading to our postcode locator to find your nearest, or farthest 😉 recycling drop-off point. Remember, the more electricals you carry the more calories you’ll burn!

3) New you, new skill?  

2023 could be your year for learning new things. Learning to repair your old electricals that seem a bit tattered is a great way to learn a new skill. There are Repair Cafes across the UK where you can meet and learn all about repairing things. In each one you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need.  Head to our Repair page to find out more about repairing your old electricals.

4) Giving back to those in need – Give Back January. 

You may want to consider donating your old and unwanted electricals as one of your new year’s resolutions.  Especially in the digital age we’re in, this is a wonderful way to give back to those less fortunate – after all, that’s what the festive season is all about.  Last Christmas 40% of UK adults bought nearly 40 million items of household tech from Black Friday to Christmas, resulting in 4.2 million unwanted electricals being abandoned. Some 2.2 million of these abandoned electricals are hoarded away, with 2 million of them thrown in the bin. If we donate these items to those in need, the value would be £136 million.  Find more information on donating your old electricals.

5) Being more eco-conscious

The environment is at the forefront of a lot of people’s minds right now, and recycling your electricals is a simple way of fulfilling your environmental New Year’s resolutions. If we recycled all our old electricals we would cut as much CO2 as taking 1.3 million cars off the road. Recycling electricals would also create hundreds of new jobs in electrical reuse and recycling – and save valuable raw materials from being lost forever like gold, copper and steel.

Recycling your electricals has never been easier – simply head to our locator and pop in your postcode to find your nearest drop-off point.

6) Become an eco-advocate

Spreading the message of recycling electricals is just as important as recycling them. Do this by telling your friends and family that ‘anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled’ and letting them know about our postcode Locator. A great way to start 2024 would be working together to stop the e-waste problem.