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For a long time now, we’ve lived in a throw-away culture.

This means many things, such as:

• Buying single use items like water in plastic bottles
• Excessive packaging 
• Replacing electronics often, with old ones going to landfills

Most of us have learned from childhood how important it is to “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” as this Jack Johnson song shows. And yet, the amount of waste being dumped into our environment increases every year. 

Disturbing Statistics of e-Waste

We’re not going to focus on all the things we throw away. The truth is that we have to rethink this throwaway society. At Ncentiva, we know that if consumers and companies work together, we can solve some of the challenges of a throwaway society.

It starts, though, with understanding the problem, especially when it comes to electronic waste (also known as e-waste).

To that end, here are some things we think you need to know:

• “The UN defines e-waste as any discarded product with a battery or plug, and features toxic and hazardous substances such as mercury, that can pose severe risk to human and environmental health.” (Geneva Environment Network, “The Growing Environmental Risks of E-Waste.”) Note the words “toxic” and “hazardous” in this definition.
• Even though electronic waste fills only about 2% of our landfills, it accounts for almost 70% of toxic waste. 
• Somewhere between 12% and 20% of e-waste is actually recycled during any given year. (The 20% is a generous estimate, it’s more likely the lower end of the scale.)
• In 2019, approximately 54 million metric tons of e-waste were generated worldwide. If trends continue, by 2030, that number will have risen to approximately 75 million metric tons—an increase of 30 percent.

Feeling concerned yet?

Environmental Risks of e-Waste

When we don’t make the effort to dispose of materials properly—or better yet find ways to extend the life of our electronics and reuse materials, we put our health and our world at risk.

E-waste is toxic.

Many electronic devices contain things like: lead, cadmium, mercury, flame retardants, and beryllium. When these devices are exposed to heat in landfills, (or burnt as the easiest way to dispose of them) these chemicals can leach into the ground, contaminate groundwater, and send toxic fumes into the air.

Whether the damage is done to the earth, air, or water, the results are pretty much the same:

• In humans, increased cancer and chronic disease; birth defects; damage to the brain, heart, liver, kidney, and skeletal systems.
• Damaging ecosystems and threatening the biodiversity of any area.
• Decrease in the productivity of farmland, and toxins seeping into plant life, which affects anyone who eats from the land (so basically all life).

Good News: You Can Help by Recycling Your Electronics!

We’ve got the depressing stuff out of the way. But there is good news. More and more companies are making an effort to find solutions, including recycling programs that reuse materials and grow a circular economy.

You are part of that circle.

Before you throw away any of your old technology, think about the benefits of recycling them instead:

1. Recycling means smaller landfills and fewer toxins in those landfills.
2. Recycling is good for the economy because it reduces production costs which are higher if you build something from scratch. It also creates jobs.
3. Recycling reuses resources. That means less use of water and even less use of energy.

That sounds awesome, doesn’t it?

In order to make this happen, you have an important role.

You, the consumer, must demand responsible recycling practices from your electronics company. You must be willing to invest in electronics that have recycled material, and to (perhaps) use your electronics for a longer time. Finally, don’t simply throw your electronics away, but rather take the steps to recycle your products.

Help the Planet and Get Rewarded for Recycling Your Electronics with Ncentiva!

Ncentiva (powered by Phobio) is here to help you take the recycling steps! It’s really easy. All you have to do is reach out to Ncentiva today to get a price quote for your old electronics.

If you accept the quote, Phobio will help you ship your electronics (at no cost) for a final assessment. In return, you get gift cards to top brands with up to 20% more than the value of your device.

We take care of the rest, making sure that your electronics get recycled rather than dumped. Help the planet, start your trade-in today!

While we like to stay positive, we think you should be aware of some harsh facts:

• According to the World Counts website, the world generates about 50 million tons of e-waste every year (and that number could grow up to 500%). 
• In 2019, only 17.4% of the 54 million metric tons of e-waste was recycled. Everything else was possibly “recycled” in the more cost-effective way—burning it. This puts toxic chemicals into our environment. Even if not burned, when electronic waste is tossed into a landfill, toxic chemicals can leach out and seep into the groundwater and air.
• This throwaway economy—with its escalating use of resources—is already having a devastating effect on humans, wildlife, and our planet.

With our tendency to replace laptops every 3 to 5 years and cell phones every 2 years (along with other e-waste products), it’s difficult not to be a part of this devastating cycle.

But don’t worry! We’re here to offer an alternative solution and a little bit of hope. 

Hope for the Future: A Circular Economy 

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation explains a circular economy in this way:

“In our current economy, we take materials from the Earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste – the process is linear. In a circular economy, by contrast, we stop waste being produced in the first place.”

At this point, only about 8.6 % of the global economy is circular. According to WeForum.Org, this needs to double along with other mitigation efforts to avoid complete environmental breakdown.

There are 4 primary goals of a circular economy:

1. Make better use of finite resources.
2. Reduce emissions.
3. Protect human health and biodiversity.
4. Boost economies by reducing waste, stimulating innovation, and creating employment opportunities.

What does a circular economy mean for electronics? The transition to a circular economy requires input from everyone involved—from designer to consumer and everyone in-between.

It works something like this:

Design

Much of the environmental impact comes from the design. To be more environmentally conscious and part of the circular economy, these steps must happen:

• There must be incentives and technical support to design for longevity. This means electronic products should be durable, easy to repair, or easy to upgrade.
• The lifestyle of electronic products must be designed for longevity.
• Electronic products should be made from recycled materials.
• Electronic products should also be able to be recycled again at the end of their life.

Producers and Sellers

• Those producing electronic products must have easier access to recycled materials.
• Those marketing these products must provide clear messages and incentives to consumers and make it easy to bring back electronic products for recycling or upgrade.

Responsible Recyclers

• If a product is no longer suitable for use or reuse, it should be recycled using socially and environmentally responsible practices.

Consumers

This is where you come in, and it’s important!

• Both individual and large-scale consumers must demand products that feed the circular economy and support reusing materials. 
• Before you trade something in, make sure that the item is going to be recycled in a responsible manner. By asking questions, this will help producers understand the importance of making sincere efforts at being part of a circular economy. 

If you’re interested in learning more about why we need a circular economy and some of the other necessary elements for creating one, check out “The Circular Economy Action Agenda for Electronics” put out by Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy” (PACE)

Contribute to the Circular Economy Today!

Here is some good news! You can contribute to the circular economy by recycling your old electronics (and buying new ones that use recycled materials).If that’s not enough, you can get back gift cards for top brands with up to 20% more than the value of your device. Not only will you be doing good for the environment and our future, but you will be doing something special for your finances.

How do you join the circular economy? Reach out to Ncentiva today to trade in your old phone, laptops, tablets & smartwatches!

Let’s save the world, one recycled product at a time.

Do you have a pile of old cell phones taking up space in a drawer of lost electronics? You know the one—the “I’ll figure out what to do with it later” drawer.

Or are you looking to get a new cell phone and wondering what to do with the old one? A little research will tell you that you could trade it in for a new one or sell it on your own. While both viable options, each comes with some caveats.

There is a third option that will help you not only get the best price for your phone, but also give you access to your choice of gift cards with up to 20% more than the final estimate we give you for your phone!

We’ll explain more later, but first, let’s explore the first two options. 

Trading in Your Old Phone

It may seem like the easiest option to trade in your old phone as you purchase a new one. In some ways it is, especially if you bring your phone in and take care of it at the store while you’re phone shopping.

That sounds simple and convenient, doesn’t it? However, there are a few things you might want to consider:

• Older phones may not be eligible for trade-ins.
• If you don’t want to go to a store, you can mail the phone yourself (at your own cost) for a trade-in. If it gets lost in the mail, the carrier may require payment or proof that you really sent it.
• Whether you’re switching carriers or staying with one carrier, often the trade-in comes attached to an extended contract.
• The trade-in value you get may not be as high as what you would get selling your phone yourself.

Selling Your Old Phone

Selling your phone will make you more money; however, it also requires you to do all the legwork. There are many ways to sell the phone, including eBay, Craigslist, Facebook, NextDoor, or even local classifieds.

But again, here are some other things to think about:

• You will have to figure out the price by doing some of your own research.
• There may be fees attached to selling items online (many places take a percentage out).
• Finding a buyer sometimes takes time. If the buyers are local, they may change their mind.
• It can take days or weeks to sell.
• You may have to ship the phone with proper packaging at your expense.
• You will have to arrange the exchange, which sometimes means meeting strangers in strange locations. Then again, the stranger could decide not to show.

Ncentiva—The Best Option!

The above options suit different needs, and that’s great. But we would like to offer you a third option:

Trade in your phone for a gift card from to brands, with up to 20% more value with Ncentiva.

It all starts here, with a short questionnaire about your old phone. You will receive a trade-in estimate that you can accept or reject. If you accept it, we will send everything you need to ship your phone to them at no cost to you.

When Phobio receives your old device, experts will inspect it and then come back with a final trade-in value. The decision is yours! If you accept the offer, you will be able to choose your gift card, and depending on the card, you could get up to 20% more than the initial quote! 

Get a Price Estimate For Your Old Electronics From Ncentiva Today

It’s so easy to get started. Find out how much your phone is worth by contacting Ncentiva for a price estimate. With Ncentiva you can also trade in Laptops, Tablets & Smartwatches. Check out your gift card options, and help clean up the planet while getting money to spend with your favorite brands!

Okay, be honest now.

How many electronic devices do you have piled up in some obscure location in your house because you replaced them with a newer version?

How many times have you replaced your laptop, and then kept the old one with the intention that you would somehow use it or sell it for parts?

Have you ever had good intentions of doing something with your laptop, only to find it months or years later gathering dust? Where does it end up? Possibly, in a landfill. 

The Life Cycle of An Average Laptop

According to The World Counts: 

“We generate around 40 million tons of electronic waste every year, worldwide. That’s like throwing 800 laptops every second.”

While this fact is disturbing, this isn’t just about the waste – it’s about you and your relationship with your laptop.

Think about the timeline of this relationship:

• You invest money in a laptop computer. (Cha-ching!)
• You use it:
  • For maybe three years, or 
  • until it gasps its last breath, or 
  • until you realize you need (or really, really want) a technology upgrade.
    
• You find a new laptop, fully intending to do “something” with the old one, such as:
  • Donate it to a cause, or
  • sell it online, or
  • strip it for parts; or,
  • (more likely,) forget all about it as it gets stored somewhere in your home.

Recycle That Old Laptop – And Get Money Back!

What if we told you that you could do something better with that old laptop? Such as getting a top branded gift card from places where you already shop, earning you up to 20% more value than the average payout for your device?

That’s right: you can earn more than you expect!

How to
All it takes is a few simple steps.

How to Get Gift Cards For Your Old Laptop

Step 1: Find that dusty old laptop. It’s got to be around here somewhere.

Step 2: Use the Ncentiva trade-in questionnaire, powered by Phobio, to tell us about your laptop (or any other device). We’ll give you a trade estimate.

Step 3: If you like the estimate, accept it. Phobio will send you everything you need to ship your laptop at no cost.

Screech, Halt—Send it?!!
If your first thought was “how to do I trust that my laptop won’t just disappear, and I’ll
never see any money??” – that’s where the reputation of Phobio comes in.

Phobio was founded in 2010 to “be the most transparent and trustworthy company in the
trade-in industry.” That’s why we trust them, and you will, too.

Feel better? Okay, back to the steps.

Step 4:  Once we’ve received your laptop, a team of experts will inspect it. They will give you a final confirmed value. Then you will receive an electronic gift card for the company of your choice.

Step 5: Go on a shopping spree. Yes!

Gift Cards For Brands You Already Love

The cool part of this is that we work hard to get the gift cards from stores where you already want to shop. Think Apple, Google, Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and so much more.

And, depending on which one you choose, you can get 20% more than the final estimate that we give you!

By simply digging out that old laptop, you can trade it in, get great value, and make room for things you’ll actually use.

What do you have to lose – besides clutter?

Start Your Old Laptop Trade-in Today with Ncentiva

Your laptop’s new journey begins with a visit to Ncentiva to get price estimates for your stuff. It’s that simple!

If you have any questions, reach out to the Customer Care trade-in team, and learn why trading in your old laptop for branded gift cards is way better than letting it gather dust!