YouRenew.com: A Profitable and Responsible Means of Recycling Electronics

While recycling paper, plastic, and cans is almost automatic in many households, recycling electronics still is not. In fact, according to the EPA, only about 10% of used electronics are properly recycled, compared to 50% of other recyclable materials. One website, YouRenew.com, seeks to change that. Founded by Rich Littlehale and Bob Casey in their Yale dorm room in 2008, the company offers consumers a profitable and environmentally friendly way to dispose of their used smartphones, mp3 players, laptops, digital cameras, tablets, and other electronics.

YouRenew.com offers consumers money, in some cases hundreds of dollars, for their used electronics, which it then renews and sells as refurbished. If the device is beyond salvageable, YouRenew.com still allows the owner to ship them the device for free. The company then sends the device to an eco-friendly recycling plant, where its disposal is handled in the safest manner possible.

According to CEO Guy Minetti, the company's mission is to raise public awareness of recycling while also turning a small profit.  Growing at a rate of over 200%, YouRenew.com is quickly gaining popularity as a smart way of recycling used and outdated electronics.