If they're so green, why do they make printers which are cheaper to throw away than to buy new cartridges for, and why do they produce printers built to last 12-18 months.

Most areas have a "freecycle" email group, for stuff that you no longer want, but other people might be able to use. Why not put your old computing kit (and pretty much anything else) up for grabs on that, and save your neighbours the trouble of having to buy new HP kit?

Theory says if you take printing seriously it's probably safer to spend more money on a printer that'll last - e.g. one of those big ass laserjets. I have a 3 year old HP Photosmart at home, doesn't get a lot of use admittedly and has only needed two cartirdges changing in that time, but it gets looked after, moved with care and a wipe down every now and again.

On another note, having just arranged a UPS changeover for a client, I'd have loved the chance to have been able to have the old one given a FREE WEEE-compliant disposal (having said that, I'm assuming it's WEEE compliant process as I don't remember seeing the word in the article).

Sitting here on a chair I got from freecycle, staring at a monitor procured from said service, in the process of trying to fix a TFT I also got from the same place.

I give as good as I get, mind. Freecycle is a fantastic little idea, everyone should give it a go!

Since reducing should come before recycling, maybe HP could somehow oragnise their distribution system so that their OfficeJet K5400 printer comes with only the mains cable for the country it's sold in rather than a total of four - UK, US, European and South African.

It would be handy if this service came to my local Sainsbo's but until then maybe I'll check out this freecycling lark.

However, a day at a store smacks of a stretch.

For those so motivated to look further:

http://junkk.blogspot.com/2007/10/reuse-exchange-sites.html

And if you know of any to add an IT section here that would be nifty:

http://junkk.blogspot.com/2007/12/category-recycling.html

Plus any more for here:

http://junkk.blogspot.com/2008/04/category-repair.html

If I could get a PSU for the computer I'd still use it, and if they still sold bits to fix the printers up I'd do that too. Overall they've been pretty good and lasted a fair few years. The P200 3240 Pavilion started me off with Windows and other nonsense. It was either buy that, or do a 2 day course, costing the same amount (£1000).