Don’t ditch your old technology

It’s a rare person who doesn’t have a small pile of unused electronics gathering dust in their home. Free Geek Twin Cities (FGTC) is happy to take those things off your hands, at no cost to you. They accept public donations during business hours (Wednesday-Sunday from noon-6 p.m.) at their Seward neighborhood store front.

What kinds of things do they accept? Almost anything with an electrical cord, with the exception of mini-fridges and microwaves. Top on their list are laptop computers, desktops, and cell phones. What can be re-purposed and re-homed, will be. What can’t be, they will recycle ethically through a local, third-party partner.

New leadership
Jean Marie Durant of Hale Page Diamond Lake became FGTC’s executive director last fall. Her background was in leading creative teams for retail organizations but after years of working in the corporate world, she pivoted. She joined the board of an arts organization in San Francisco, and eventually became their director. She got hooked on non-profit management.

Durant said, “Working with FGTC is a great fit because I’m a sustainability geek. I’ve gone through years of participating in my neighborhood Buy Nothing group. The emphasis on repurposing and recycling is what really drew me to the job at FGTC.”

She continued, “We have such an ingrained consumer culture in the US. We’re conditioned to think we need the newest phone, the fastest chip, the sleekest device. FGTC is here to respond to that kind of thinking. People need to understand that there are chemicals and materials in all our technologies that may be toxic to the environment. Our main thing at FGTC is keeping e-waste out of landfills.”

The Digital Divide
In addition to their environmental mission, there’s a social justice current that runs through everything FGTC does. According to Durant, “Having digital access is now as important as getting electricity was 100 years ago. There are still many people in our community who don’t have access to computers and the internet, or lack the skills to adequately use the technology they have. There are many reasons for this Digital Divide, but FGTC is working to bridge it.”

Fix-it Clinics
Every Thursday from 6-8 p.m., FGTC opens its doors for their free, weekly Fix-it Clinic. Durand said, “Before you ditch your broken electronic equipment, let’s see if we can get it to work. People bring in their old DVD or CD players, electric tea kettles, lamps, almost anything with a cord. These electronics are not mysterious! Many of them just need simple repairs. Our team knows a lot about electronics, and they want to help. If our technicians aren’t able to fix your problem, you’re at least likely to leave with a diagnosis.”

To make an appointment, scroll down on their home page to find the section called "Learn with Us", and click on the link.

Refuse planned obsolescence
Durant continued, “I don’t feel okay about throwing things away, especially when they still have life. I’d rather give them away or donate them. I choose not to participate in the American disposal culture. FGTC provides tech advice, but we’re not a tech company. We’re a repurposing/recycling non-profit organization.”

According to information on the FGTC website, recycling reduces outsourcing of unregulated toxic materials to vulnerable communities. About 65% of e-waste movement around the world is unregulated. It’s typically exported from high-income counties to low-income countries. Despite having the capacity to properly manage their own e-waste, Europe, East Asia, and North America are the top exporters of e-waste.

Durant said, “FGTC diverted more than 200,000 pounds of e-waste from landfills in 2025, but our main focus is getting donated technology reused. We distributed more than 1,000 free laptops last year to Hennepin County residents identified by the county as being income eligible, and sold 52,000 repurposed technology products (not including cords and other small items). At the heart of our mission is our Build Program, where donated computers are refurbished into working machines that use the Linux or Windows operating systems. These computers are then donated to non-profit organizations, or sold in our thrift store.”

Geek out
There are volunteer opportunities at FGTC for people with different skill sets and interests, 16 years of age and older. Learn to take apart computers and audio/video equipment, and sort components by material type. Test and repair modern or vintage computers to better understand how they work from the inside out.

At FGTC, their in-store and online inventory of low-cost computers, cords, media players, computer parts, and video equipment and games is always changing. Visit https://www.facebook.com/FreeGeekTwinCities to see what’s available.
FGTC offers a warranty within 30 days of purchase, and will repair or replace faulty hardware. If the issue can’t be fixed, the item can be exchanged for one of similar value or for store credit. FGTC is located at 2537 27th Avenue South, Minneapolis. Check out their website at www.freegeektwincities.org.