If you're expecting a new computer for Christmas, this post is for you. Help combat landfill and share the computing love by taking some time to repurpose your old computer.

First up, you may be able to extend the life of your computer by upgrading some of its components, or you could repurpose it (or bits of it) as a home server. Or you could give it to a friend or relative (make sure it's powerful enough/stable enough to meet their computing needs or you're not really being that helpful).

If you can't repurpose the computer, recycling's the next option. Extreme Tech's just posted a helpful article on ways to recycle your hardware, which suggests googling "computer recycling" and your city to see what options come up. Freecycle is another option -  a well established email list in which members can give away their unwanted stuff, or see what others are giving away.

If you can't repurpose the computer yourself, Computer Choice, the tech arm of independent consumer organisation Choice, has a very useful list of computer refurbishers and recyclers, broken down by state. Make sure you call them to double check they can take your computer, as the list is a couple of years old.

The Choice website makes a great point when it says: "Don’t let old computers sit around the house unused. The sooner you recycle it, the more chance it will be useful to someone else."