Tomorrow is Earth Day, so we wanted to take the opportunity to share how you can help us be green by helping you be green. And in the process, pass along some green to you (i.e., cash). It’s a true win-win for everyone: you, us, and planet Earth!
Every year, countless computers, phones, and other electronic devices unnecessarily make their way to the landfill. It goes without saying that this is terrible for the environment. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Many companies like OWC have trade-in programs that will help you responsibly repurpose or dispose of your device.
Trade-In Your Mac
We understand that a day will come when you finally need a new Mac. And whether you’re trading in your personal machine or have an office or school lab’s worth of computers, we’re here to help! We provide a fair offer and find a new home for each computer. And the best part is that the money we give you for your trade-in is not just a credit towards buying another Mac from us. In fact, you aren’t required to purchase anything from OWC – we’ll cut you a check. Green for you, for you being green!
Note: Our default payment method is actually PayPal, but that doesn’t fit the artistic “green for green” flow as well. Also, if you do request a check, I’m not sure it’s actually the color green. But I think you get the idea…
The Process
Here’s how the OWC trade-in program works…
First, head over to our “Trade-In Your Mac” page on MacSales.com and fill out a simple form telling us the model of your computer and describing its condition. We’ll get back to you right away with our assessment and several potential options for you.
Reuse
When we receive your Mac, we thoroughly test every aspect of the system, fully clean the machine inside and out, and repair any issues encountered. Our primary goal is to extend the life of the computer, keeping it out of the landfill as long as possible. Once the computer is completely refurbished, we put it up for sale on our Used Macs page so it can find a new home and make someone else happy.
Recycle
Of course, we can’t accept every machine for trade-in as some older units are indeed past their service life. In that case, we offer to take them for responsible recycling. However, if they are still operational, we first encourage users to try and find a local outlet to donate them. Just because it’s a machine that may be past our refurbishment cutoff for age, there certainly could be a youngster in the neighborhood that would benefit from a basic older computer.
With machines that are beyond repair or with components that are not serviceable, we break everything down into base components. Aluminum, plastic, glass, and circuit boards. These are then distributed to responsible salvage companies. The circuit boards might be repaired and repurposed or harvested for their individual components.
We never turn trade-ins into modern art, paperweights, or BB gun targets. We try and make every computer usable again within reason, and if unable, recycle them responsibly.
Growing Greener
The amount of trade-ins has been growing year over year, and this past year with people upgrading machines to more effectively work from home, we have seen a significant increase. Knowing that more and more people are interested in responsibly recycling their old computers is encouraging. Let’s keep this number growing – we believe that together we can make a difference in making this world a better place to live for everyone!
If you have any questions about our trade-in program, please feel free to reach out to me directly at tradein@macsales.com – I’m here to help!
Related Links
I currently have a 5 year old 27 inch iMac. If I were to buy a 30 inch iMac (if and when it comes out) would I be able to use the old 27inch for a second screen?
I believe that 2014 was the last year Target Display Mode was supported on iMacs. However, that may only apply to using it as such with a MacBook Pro.
Here is Apple’s support document on Target Display Mode: https://support.apple.com/en-bn/HT204592