Keeping up with the latest technology usually means buying new gear. That creates a big problem for today’s consumers: What do you do with your old electronics without destroying the planet?

Turn your TV into an old-school fish tank

Image via Flickr by sergejf

What will people do when their flat-screens start to wear out? We will leave that problem for creative minds of the future. For now, though, we are stuck dealing with old-school televisions and monitors that take up a ton of room. If you have an old TV or monitor (“old” meaning anything thicker than 6 inches), try:

• Turning it into a fish tank holder;
• donating it to a science class that needs an example of vacuum tube tech; or
• sending it to a nursing home where the residents can still appreciate its grainy picture quality.

Create the coolest multiple-screen workstation ever

Image via Flickr by Techhie

Don’t feel bad about pitching your old computer or tablet just because you found an improved model while browsing affordable laptops. Add or build a brand-new monitor from the scraps. Connecting an old monitor is easy, and when an old tablet, all you need is an app that transforms your unwanted device into a much-needed second (or third, or fourth, or whatever) monitor for your desktop. Some apps worth checking out include:

• iDisplay
• REDFLY ScreenSlider
• MaxiVista
• Splashtop XDisplay

Having a second monitor can make you more productive. Or you can use it to stream movies while you work. Your call.

Make a remote that never needs new batteries

Image via Flickr by mah_japan

No, sir, that is not a worthless old cell phone that does not even connect to modern networks. What you have in your hand is a remote control that never needs new batteries. Instead of tossing your old cell phones (not that you would do that, considering that there are plenty of charities looking for donations), you can turn it into a universal remote. Apps like Mobilewitch can transform an old phone into a PC controller for just a few dollars. If you are an engineering wiz, then you can even retool your Bluetooth cell phone to operate practically any device. Why don’t you need batteries anymore? Because you just plug it in when the charge gets low. That also helps you keep tabs of the remote so you don’t lose it in the couch.

Create avant garde art projects galore

Image via Flickr by J.BC

Any old technology can become a fancy art project. It does not matter if you have a busted typewriter or a TV that you just do not want anymore. You can always find a creative way to turn trash into treasure.

Some fun ideas include:

• Making sculpture out of dead computer parts
• Turning microchips into earrings
• Video art that plays images on several monitors

What other fun uses can you imagine for old electronics? Once you get those creative juices flowing, ideas start pouring out faster than you can type “blue screen of death.” Jennifer Buggica is a food blogger and freelance writer from Tampa, FL. She spends her free time dining out at local restaurants and doing what she can to save the world.