Taking Out the Musical Trash
Some CDs will go with you to the grave, while others pass quickly through your life like flare pants or slap bracelets. When you grow out of a CD or DVD, the last place it should go is the trash.
Valuable resources are used to manufacture these disks. The polycarbonate Aluminum, nickel and even gold are also used, according to the EPA. Because limited resources are used to make CDs and DVDs, it is important that we extend the disks’ lives and properly recycle them when they no longer function.
Proper Care of CD/DVDs
- Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat and water
- Keep them in a protective case to prevent scratches
- If a disk is scratched, all is not lost. Minor scratches can be repaired by rubbing a mild abrasive (such as toothpaste) in a circular motion from the center out.
Reuse of CD/DVDs
- Sell or trade them for a different disk
- Make it fun: Set up a CD swap at your work or school
- Donate them to a school, library or other organization
- Go Crafty: Disks make great sun catchers, wind chimes or drink coasters
Recycling CDs/DVDs
Did you know that your music and movies can be recycled? Recycled CDs can be used to make a variety of products, including:
- Automotive industry parts
- Office equipment
- Street lights
- Jewel cases
Recycle CDs and DVDs using Earth 911.
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
jwhitler
posted on June 30th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Check out my blog post about this very topic.
http://musicandtheenvironment.blogspot.com/2007/02/possibly-scariest-question-you-ever.html
I have been away from home several years now, but was fortunate to leave lots of “memorabilia” cluttered in my bedroom. I knew I was pushing it by not dealing with my stuff, but did not realize the impact of coming home over Christmas to see my room transformed. My stuff was all gone, not even stashed in the attic. I thought, “Oh crap, what about all of my old Phish tapes?”
Of course I had not listened to the tapes in many years, but always enjoyed popping in a favorite set whenever I was home. Having to say, “Mom, where did all of my tapes and CD’s go?” was not a question I was prepared to ask. The quality of music available now was far superior, but there was something comforting about having my tapes around whenever I was home. I was fortunate that the tapes were not thrown to the curb; they were stashed in the garage, or as my mom said, “All of your shit is out in the garage. Please donate or throw away what you want, but don’t bring it back in the house.”
So what the hell am I going to do with my 300+ Phish tapes and other “bootlegs”? Can I really just throw it all away? After a few hours of thinking and reminiscing with a few classics, I started to pursue some alternatives to throwing them away. It was harder than I thought and knew there were other conscious fans out there that were thinking, “How can I keep my tapes out of the landfill?”
Tapes and CD’s can have a huge impact on the environment. According to the Worldwatch Institute, more than 45 tons of used CDs are discarded globally every month. CDs and DVDs are made from mainly plastics and metals, such as aluminum, polycarbonate (a type of plastic made from crude oil and natural gas), lacquer made from acrylic, gold, chemical dyes partially made from petroleum products, and numerous other materials such as water, glass, silver and nickel. When they are manufactured and eventually disposed, they can release chemicals that contribute to global warming and create environmental and health problems. When we “reduce” – like borrowing a DVD from the library instead of buying it, reuse or recycle them, or download music from the internet, we conserve natural resources and decrease the quantity and toxicity of our trash. For information on the Life Cycle of a CD visit this website, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/students/finalposter.pdf.
Recycling also has a significant economic benefit. According to EPA’s “Jobs Through Recycling” page, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/recycle/jtr/index.htm, the recycling and reuse industry consists of approximately 56,000 establishments that employ over 1.1 million people, generate an annual payroll of nearly $37 billion, and gross over $236 billion in annual revenues. This represents a significant force in the U.S. economy and makes a vital contribution to job creation and economic development.
Luckily for environmentalists there is a website, http://www.earth911.com that provides resources on how to recycle almost anything that can be recycled, and even has a searchable database to find the closest recycler in your area. Unfortunately the selection of places to recycle tapes, and CD’s for those going completely digital, is not that large.
After doing some research and making a few phone calls, I have decided to send my old tapes and CD’s to Green Disk, http://www.greendisk.com/. They offer a variety of services at a low price. I’ll end up paying $6.95 + shipping for 20 lbs. or less.