Are you thinking about splurging on a sleek, new, BIG flat screen TV? It’s getting harder and harder for me to put off buying one. Those flat screen TVs are just so sexy I can’t help but be tempted to toss my old school 27 inch TV to the curb even though it works just fine. Seriously, it has taken every ounce of eco-restraint in my body to repress this desire.
When I finally do break down and give in to the forbidden fruit of flat screen TVs, I will take some comfort in knowing I am not alone. An estimated 32 million new TVs are expected to enter U.S. homes this year according to the Consumer Electronics Association.
If you’re on the verge of giving in to your own flat screen TV temptations, check out the Sierra Club’s How Green is Your Screen quiz. It’ll help you choose a flat screen TV that won’t leave you feeling guilty in the morning.
And if a new TV means you’re tossing out an old one – like the 68 million TVs that Americans replaced last year - consider the following as penance:
- Donate your old TV to Goodwill, The Salvation Army or your local school – make sure to get a receipt so you can get a tax deduction
- Sell your old TV on Craig’s List – you can probably still get a few bucks for it even if it is 20th century technology (then donate that money to a environmental organization like the Sierra Club).
- Visit Metro’s website to find a local recycler that’ll make sure your old TV doesn’t end up in a landfill leaching toxins into the ground water.
As prices fall it’s only going to get harder for me to resist the sexy allure of a new flat screen TV. For now, I’m taking it one day at a time. If you are too, post a comment below. Don’t worry…we’ll get through this together.