Some of the computers that come into Equal Opportunities West’s e-waste and recycling program are sent to the group’s “tech department.” Several individuals, along with staff, use their computer savvy to refurbish the computers for use in the in-house computer lab, as well as to sell or donate to other organizations.
This work is not for the high-tech faint of heart. Individuals sometimes have to dismantle very old computers and need to dig deep into their digital arsenal to get the machine back up and running. Once that computer starts to hum again, a great sense of achievement can be seen.