GNU/Linux Ages Well: Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose, Upcycle Etc.
Lots can be done to avoid or reduce e-waste
THIS past week I did a lot of housekeeping and chores. In the process I updated a site 12+ years old, "modernising" it a little. I then spent 2-3 days going through very old computer parts and electric items, going back to the 1990s. Some of them were still usable and I reattached almost half a dozen of them to my computers. Unlike all those "modern" computers that lack Ethernet ports, optical drives etc. my personal machines still have many of the "old" slots, which means I can even attach mice with balls inside them. I amassed about half a dozen still-working or partly-working mice though I already have 5 wired (and laser powered) mice on my desk. That's not to say you need some special driver for "old" mice, but many require USB adapters, which I still have (but forgot I had). Playing with old 'trash' is fun because you can always find "gems" and put them back into use 20 years later. The stereo that I listen to at the moment is turning 30 soon.
GNU/Linux saves money not just because it costs nothing to "license" a copy (this is often wrongly described as "buying"). It also works well with old computers and old peripherals. Why throw away perfectly functional and still-functioning items? It's bad for the planet.
Do you have an old pile of digital 'trash'? Have a look and have a go through it; at the very least it might bring back memories (nostalgia). Maybe you'll even find an old gadget you can adopt as "new". You won't know unless you check. █