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How to Recycle, Reuse or Cash in Your Gift Cards

December 26, 2013 By: Anna6 Comments

How to Recycle, Reuse, and Cash in Your Gift Cards

Did you know that 8 out of 10 gift shoppers prefer gift cards?  People love giving gift cards because they make gift giving  sooo much easier.  No one wants to give a gift that your recipient hates.  Let them choose what they want.  Headache banished.

“According to NRF’s Gift Card Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, holiday shoppers will spend an average of $163.16 on gift cards, up 4.0 percent over the $156.86 they spent last year and the highest amount in the survey’s 11-year history. Total spending on gift cards will reach $29.8 billion.*

*Total spending is extrapolation of US population 18+” [Source.]

The Environmental Problem:

Sometimes convenience causes environmental problems.  In this case, gift cards are made of PVC, which poses serious environmental health risks.  In 2012, the global card industry produced 33 billion gift cards. The majority of those cards were made of PVC.  A small percentage of gift cards were made out of sustainable products.

According to the Center for the Environment, Health and Justice, the manufacturing of PVC results in elevated human exposure to chemicals in the form of high amounts of toxic additives.  These additives are released during use and disposal.

Moreover, dumping  gift cards along with other forms of PVC causes those toxic additives to leach into the groundwater. In addition,  landfill fires release dioxin, a chemical used in PVC, which is a toxic gas.

So what can you do? Either recycle, reuse or cash in your gift cards.

#1  Recycle Your Gift Cards

Earthworks Systems and Best Buy are your best options for recycling your gift cards.  You need to mail in your cards to Earthworks; whereas, you can simply drop off the cards in Best Buy’s recycling kiosk.  Before you head to Best Buy, read what else Best Buy takes back.

#2 Be Crafty with Your Gift Cards

  • Read my 18 Ways to reuse your gift cards.
  • In my article above, I mention using the gift cards to make a music pic which requires you bare scissors. Uncommon Goods sells a Pick Punch.  How cool is that?  (Thanks to Leigh of Green4U for the heads up.) For $24.99, you will never be without a pick.
  • For more crafty sources for re-purposing your gift cards read 5 Ways to Repurpose Gift Cards.  I love the Starbuck card bracelet.

#3 Trade Them In for Cash

According to CEB Tower, in 2012 roughly $2 billion worth of gift cards were not redeemed.  CEB Tower projects that number to decline to a little over $1 billion in 2013. I am guilty as well since I have received plenty of gift cards I don’t want.

Now, you can sell your gift cards for money on sites such as Cardpool, Giftcardrescue, and GiftcardGranny.  Be sure to check all fees before cashing or trading in the cards.

Join the Conversation:

What do you do with your expired or unused gift cards?

Similar Posts:

  • Plastic Gift Card Recycling: Convenient but Reduce the Enviro Impact
  • Recycling Center for Gift Cards, CDs, and Electronics at Best Buy
  • 18 Ideas To Reuse Expired Credit Cards
  • Reuse your Greeting Cards to Spread Joy to Others
  • Giiv, Texting for Greener Gift Giving

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About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

Chat with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , and Google+.

Comments

  1. 1

    Betsy (Eco-novice) says

    December 28, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    I got a few gift cards I am not interested in using. Thanks for the resources about how to trade them into something useful (like cash!).

    Reply
    • 2

      Anna@Green Talk says

      December 31, 2013 at 11:02 am

      Betsy, why should those cards get dusty! Turn them into cash. Anna

      Reply
  2. 3

    Anne says

    December 28, 2013 at 5:09 pm

    Didn’t know I could recycle gift cards – clever idea!

    Reply
  3. 4

    Cristin @ Eve of Reduction says

    January 2, 2014 at 12:44 pm

    Here is a tutorial for upcycling your gift card into a collar stay: http://eveofreduction.com/clev.....gift-card/

    Reply
    • 5

      Anna@Green Talk says

      January 3, 2014 at 1:17 am

      Love the tutorial. I added it to my 18 ways to reuse your credit cards. Anna

      Reply
  4. 6

    Millie Martinez says

    March 16, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Earthworks never got up this program up and running. I made several attempts and when I finally reached someone by phone, I was told they were not set up to begin. You should update this information.

    Reply

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