Buying new things all the time can be a lot of fun. Seeing every piece of computer equipment looking shiny and new can be very satisfying. However, many people do not consider the damage they are doing to the environment with all their new purchases.

It’s easy to find second-hand stuff that works just as well and costs less. For example, some used Cisco switches can be a great bargain, and by buying them, you save them from ending up in landfills. They will be quite hidden among your equipment and after using them for a while you will hardly remember if you bought them new or second hand. A refurbished Cisco router, for example, can save you a great deal of money and should work just as well as a new one.

Many people are still not that concerned about the environment and do not consider how to help it. It’s also a shame that certain reports can discourage people from recycling. It has been said that certain energy saving measures are actually worse for the environment. Wind turbines, for example, may cost more due to the materials to make them than they may save in renewable energy. It is also said here that recycling costs more money and energy than making new things. However, you should keep in mind that recycling protects the environment in ways other than saving energy. It will prevent so much rubbish from being landfilled and that can be a big problem, not only in terms of space but also due to pollution.

There is also the matter of starting a trend. As things become more popular, they become more efficient and cheaper, and this will be the case with recycling. This means that by acquiring good habits and starting to do it now, we can continue with it, teach our children and grandchildren how to do it, and soon it will be something we all do automatically. Buying new things may not be as common: people may start looking for second-hand, recycled and refurbished things, which will mean that there is much less waste. So take a look around you and see what things you can do and find to have less of an impact on the environment. Your efforts won’t make a huge difference, but if you can get other people to do the same and support this industry, then you will be a small part of the big solution to environmental damage.