Notes from the newsroom

Every time I move residencies, I throw more and more stuff away. I condense my collection of personal items, mostly clothing and papers, making it easy to haul my things around.

I recently moved again, into my third house since last July, and the amount of things I donated to the trash was the most which I have ever let go.

If an item is broken, out of style or useless, I make a rule to chuck it. There is no need to hang on to things I don't utilize anymore.

However, there is an exception to every rule, including that one. This time it's my old computer. The one I used during college made it through four years of being thrown around. I bought a new one and just held on to the old one.

You can't just throw computers in the garbage and call it a day.

What if someone gets it and steals your personal information? That's not ideal.

Also, the components of the computer aren't garbage-friendly and need to be disposed of in a correct manner.

I had no idea where to get rid of it at and have been hauling that thing around since November.

Talk about dead weight.

Than, I saw a flier for an electronic e-waste event at the Lake County Transfer station and knew the time had come to part with my old best friend.

I was able to drive up, drop off my computer and be on my way in under five minutes. The ladies took my computer, put it in the correct bin and wished me a good afternoon.

The event, sponsored by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Lake County Transfer station and Ronan Telephone Company, was a way to recycle all of those old electronics that you didn't want around.

Normally, a cost would be associated with such a thing, but for this event it was free.

Things from stereo equipment to printers were able to be disposed of with no cost, normally costing anywhere from $3 to $10.

However, to get rid of that old computer, I would have gladly paid a fee.