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A while back, I gave praises to Dell’s computer recycling program. Well, they’ve just changed that program, and frankly, it stinks. They took an excellent program that could have been an example to other companies and changed it to as stringent as every other company out there. They’ve made it more diffcult for non businesses to recycle computer systems.

The old program allowed you to recycle up to 5 computer items from any company for $10 apiece. It was a great program. They took everything and there was no purchase necessary. They no longer do that. Now, you can only recycle old Dell products with their program. They will also recycle other computer products, but they will only do that if you buy something from Dell first. The Dell recycling page on their web site also does not easily tell you how to recycle anything but a Dell product, though they do state that you can. In fact, it is not clear from the web site if it is possible to recycle anything BUT a Dell product.

I will say it is nice to see that the recycling program is free, that is an improvement. But Dell also took two steps back when they decided to remove their program of taking up to 5 computer products for $10 apiece.

So, unless you buy something from Dell first, or have a Dell product to recycle, you’re pretty much out of luck. I think it stinks.
I even got a comment on my other post about recycling from a Dell representative stating how they were committed to recycling:

thanks for recognition of Dell’s efforts and for attention to the issue of finding convenient recycling resources for used computers for consumers. Wanted to be sure you knewsould know that Dell has committed to providing free recycling of anything Dell-branded, regardless of replacement purchase, and will launch that service in the US before the end of September. This service includes home pick-up of the used computer.

It states very clearly that Dell is committed to only recycling Dell products. It’s like they don’t see the bigger picture: the reason you recycle computer products is so they don’t pollute our groundwater, and frankly, it shouldn’t matter if the computer product is a Dell or not.

Dell is not commmitted to anything but the bottom line. If they were, they’d add to their old policy and allow people to ship back old Dell products for free while still charging $10 for everything else. Dell could have been a shining example to other computer companies and really advertised this as something they do that others don’t. But they didn’t.

I have to say: I’m disgusted.

This year has flown by.  And, for most of it, I’ve laid low, not being a part of the webmaster SEO community scene as I’ve had in previous years.  I’ve actually gotten away from the computer and gotten a life, and spent my time in front of the computer working on various projects building my own sites instead of helping someone else build theirs.  What a change:  making money for me.

I’d show you a picture of my dog, who has been a huge change in this, but I can’t.  You see, I live with a man who is paranoid of everything and won’t allow me too open up the directory on his f*^%(*& server to upload pictures.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.  Usually what happens is, I tell him there is a problem, he types on his computer and says “Now try it” and it works.  But the fix isn’t permanent.  I’m really pissed about this right now and will probably scream at said man a little later.