I suppose we're lucky that we actually have an ecycling plant here (sometimes I think we're stone age, recycling-wise) but they're across the city, stuck in a suburb on an obscure road, and they keep bankers' hours! I have a growing pile of things we've destroyed (can't refurbish, unfortunately!) and I'd like to get them there.

My life is much so better without all the new phones and e-products. Much higher quality of life. Consider recycling your e-smog and enjoy life while you can.

The most surprising revelation to me is that the average smart phone lifespan in the U.S. is less than 2 years!! I just got my first smartphone as a gift from my daughter a year and a half ago--she did not want it anymore because it was too cheaply made. I was working for a communications company and my supervisor refused to give me a working tablet charger so I was forced to use my cell phone charger. Now my cell phone does not recognize its own charger so it takes FOREVER to charge. I thought that was because it was a crappy cell phone or I used it for the other device--but it was only 6 months old at the time! I wish I could have gotten 21 months out of mine. It really only worked with its charger 6 months. I think if we have such a problem with recycling everything, companies should be forced to make better long lasting products.

What surprises me most is the amount.

Would like to see frivolous uses of electronics end. Companies, like Hallmark, who put electronics in their greeting cards for sound and light take no responsibility for the e-waste they are creating. They offer no recycling options and make the rest of the greeting card hard to recycle. I buy no greeting cards with electronics or glitter, but unfortunately people sometimes send such cards to me and the challenge of responsible disposal becomes mine.