Green IT Toolkit

Creative uses for dead PCs

Staff Tech Republic

Published: 02 Sep 2005 14:25 BST

New legislation means that any business looking to dispose of more than the smallest amount of dead hardware will need to register with the Environment Agency, or face the government's wrath. We look at some of the more creative ways people have found of reusing their old hardware, and would like to hear from you if you have done anything similar.

Send your pictures to us at recycledhardware@zdnet.co.uk and tell us your stories using the talkback facility below and we will run a selection of the best of them in the future.

The final three will zip around your desktop, make an interesting addition to your garden and provide an alternative way for working out the stress of modern life

A photo of a miniature tank made powered by an aged mac's floppy drive eject motors, next to a penny

"This mini robot tank uses floppy drive eject motors from a Mac."
Credit: © Webshots - curriedgoat.

A photo of a first-generation blueberry iMac that has been used as a planting pot for flowers, with grass growing through an adjacent keyboard

"This iMac case, keyboard and mouse have returned to the wild."
Credit: © Webshots - navonod09.

A photo of a damaged keyboard dangling by its cable from a tree

"It's like a Pinata.. only it's a keyboard, and instead of a bat I'll be using a machette!"
Credit: © Webshots - swimmersjm.