Cleaning up your clutter is so satisfying...until you think about where it goes. Maybe you've invested in energy-efficient appliances or tried to use your existing ones efficiently, but what do you do when they die?

With the growing popularity of "The Story of Stuff," a short film about product lifecycle, more people are becoming aware of their possessions' afterlife. (A new version of the film that's focused specifically on the repercussions of our shiny gadgetry is coming in May.) With high-tech toys designed to be obsolete in a few years, many containing toxic chemicals, proper disposal of our electronics and other appliances couldn't be more important.

So if your spring cleaning involves getting rid of that cell phone from 2006 (happy National Cell Phone Recycling Week—no, really), here's a guide to responsible electronics disposal:

Donate it. Many electronics like laptops, cell phones, or MP3 players become obsolete—or tragically unhip—before they wear out. Donating your functioning gadget can help someone else while giving you warm fuzzies and helping you de-clutter. And it could be a last-minute tax write-off for you procrastinators.

• Phones for Haiti recycles or refurbishes your cell phone and donates all resale profits to the Red Cross for earthquake relief—you just print out a postage-paid label and send it in.
• The Wireless Recycling Network lists some charities you can support by donating an old cell phone.
• Non-profit Recycling for Charities accepts cell phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, and PDAs even if they don't work anymore.

Recycle it. Use super-helpful site Earth911 to find a recycling center in your ZIP code for household castoffs. Recycling old TVs, for example, can reduce the pollution and environmental damage from mining if the copper, aluminum, and other metallic ingredients are reused. Recycling also reduces the toxic chemicals released from burning trash, resulting in better air and water quality. Want to make sure your e-recycler isn't going to dump unusable goods in a landfill or ship them to one overseas? The e-Stewards site lists recyclers who have committed to sustainable electronics recycling. A few notes on specific items:

• Cell phones: 90 percent of cell phones in the U.S. aren’t recycled, according to Earth911. If you want some dough for doing so, phone companies are starting to reimburse customers for bringing in old phones when they upgrade to new ones. Or check out the EPA's guide to service providers and phone manufacturers with in-store or mail-in take-back programs.
• Computers: The EPA lists places to donate and recycle your computer in addition to local computer collection programs.
• TVs: A number of TV retailers have free nationwide recycling programs.

Don't trash electronics with your regular garbage—it may be illegal due to their hazardous innards. CRT (cathode ray tube) computer monitors and TVs could leak lead if broken. And items with circuit boards like cell phones and computers are likely to contain toxic metals. Even if it's legal to trash certain electronics in your area, they may end up getting shipped off and dumped in a developing country. No good. Find a recycler in your state who pledges environmentally responsible disposal of your fried circuit boards. (No luck? Find a manufacturer take-back program.)

Think before you buy your next gadget. Let's be honest: Some of us are addicted to shiny new devices. The thought of passing up the latest technology may make you physically ill. But we can be aware of the resource-intensive creation of those devices (the cost to the earth and the health of laborers) as well as the toll that disposal takes on our health and environment. We can buy smarter by resisting throwaway gizmos and purchasing sustainably made things that'll last longer. Finally, we can urge electronics makers to use renewable energy and be responsible for the entire product lifecycle.

--Holly

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/missrogue/ / CC BY-SA 2.0