In my world cell phones are a necessary evil. When my kids were in elementary school I wouldn’t have considered getting them a cell phone. I knew where they were all day, I drove them to school and I picked them up. They were closely monitored.

Then junior high hit and things changed. Not only were they walking between classes but my daughter actually walked over to an elementary school (the properties were adjacent to one another) to help a teacher every day. Throw in a lot more social activities and going to friends houses and the movies, etc. and I realized quickly that they needed their own cell phones so I could track them down and they could call easily if they needed me.

What I didn’t count on were all the times I heard “I dropped my phone in the pool. Actually, it was in the pocket of my swim trunks when I jumped in” or “I dropped my phone in the sink while I was doing the dishes, what? It’s not MY fault that I have to do the dishes!” and that sort of thing.

Needless to say I have ended up with a few dead phones in a drawer. I haven’t thrown them away because I think it’s pretty obvious that they aren’t exactly going to breakdown in a landfill somewhere. Which brings me to cell phone recycling. There are places online that will buy your old cell phones and recycle them.

You can actually get money for old phones! Cell phones actually contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment and there are websites out there that will actually compare sites that buy mobile phones so you can get the best deal.

Additionally old functioning cell phones can be donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers as well as a few other donation/recycling places as well.

I’m not sure how many places would pay for water logged phones like some of the cell phones I have but I’m thinking of finding out. Either way it’s better than the phones taking up space in my drawer or a landfill somewhere.