11 Ways To Deck The Halls With Recycled Tech
Put your useless tech to good use this holiday season. Check out these projects.
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Deck the halls with drives and floppies. Falalalala-lalalala.
'Tis the season for paste and copy. Falalalala-lalalala.
DOS we love and still remember. Falalalala-lalalala.
Reuse computers this December. Falalalala-lalalala….
Please excuse me for breaking into song, but the holiday season is officially in swing in the US. Among all the great traditions, one of my favorites is the decorations. Sure, I'm up for plain old wreaths and lights and menorahs. But what I really like is when people get creative. I'm especially a fan of upcycling old technology for new purposes and especially of turning the office into a winter wonderland.
If you're like most InformationWeek readers, you've got a lot of old technology floating around. I must have four or five PCs lying around for no good reason, half a dozen old cellphones, countless hard drives, gaming consoles, CDs, thumb drives, and enough cable to circle the Earth. And most of us even have access to the old graveyards of our data center just chock full of stuff nobody wants but no one is throwing away. What to do with all of that junk?
Turn those pieces of technology into clever holiday decorations. Don't feel like the creative type? Only have visions of source code dancing in your head? I'm here to help. I've compiled some pictures of some really beautiful and jolly uses of old technology to make the season merry and bright. We've got everything from tiny ornaments to clever menorahs to giant Christmas trees.
I apologize for the lack of Kwanzaa decorations. I looked far and wide and found none. I'm guessing that has to do with Kwanzaa's origins in the harvest and its focus on family. We don't necessarily associate technology with those things. But personally, I'd like to change that. I can't think of a better use of technology than to use it to celebrate some of the Kwanzaa principles such as unity, creativity, and collective work. At any rate, if you know of someone who has incorporated technology into their Kwanzaa decorations, please share. Or, be the first and share your efforts here.
Also, if I missed your tradition or holiday, please feel free to add. Real ones are preferred, but I'll accept a Festivus pole made out of speakers if you're serious about it. Every tradition is welcome.
Click through our slideshow and tell us which decorations are your favorites. Share others you've seen. And enjoy the holidays no matter what you celebrate.
Who doesn't have some old RAM lying around? A few tiny bells and ribbon from the art supply store and you've got instant ornaments. Hang them on your tree or your cubicle for instant jingle bells. No word on whether they ring better or faster if you use DDR3.
(Source: recyclart.org)
When Santa is coming down the chimney, not a creature is supposed to be stirring, even a mouse. But what if Santa is a mouse? Dress up your old mouse with a couple of googly eyes and some red felt from the art supply store and you can find out for yourself. I recommend plussing this trick by stringing a bunch of wired mice together in a garland and doing a whole string of them. If you feel extra-creative make nine of them -- Santa and his reindeer.
(Source: Geekware)
Chances are you've got a lot of old data CDs lying around. If not, don't you at least regret that Top Disco Hits of Christmas purchase? Grab your unneeded CDs, some string, and stickers, and you've got the makings for a great tree ornament. If you feel especially energetic, you can try some paint, glitter, or beads to accent your CD. Bedazzle the thing like a disco jumpsuit. It's Christmas!
(Source: That Bloomin' Garden)
If you've got a whole bunch of CDs, consider turning them into a whole tree. We've even got a how-to video for you. It looks especially good near some lights. Plus, you don't have to tromp out into the woods to cut it down. Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your track lists.
(Source: Jean Synodinos)
If you've got even more extra CDs lying around, you've got a perfect New Year's mirror ball-like decoration. Here's the jackpot question in advance: What are you doing New Year's Eve? Answer: Getting some fishing wire and stringing these things together before the party.
(Source: Hester Jane)
This wreath was made as a gift from a wife to a very geeky husband. For the whole story, check it out here, but in short, the wreath is made up of old hard drives, sound cards, fan parts, and other stuff. The whole thing took two hours. With a premade wreath and some spare parts lying around, you could do the same. Hang it on the data center door, and after Christmas have a contest to see who can reassemble the computer.
(Source: Ashley Allen)
Christmas isn't the only game in town. Celebrate Hanukkah with a menorah made from USB thumb drives. Not only is it entertaining, but each USB has a fun Hanukkah activity. Here's a video describing it. Show off your skills to your friends with a contraption that looks more complex and technical than it is.
(Source: Stupid Inventions)
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, but it might become the Festival of LED Lights. If you have the parts to do this, you've probably already made it. If you don't have the parts lying around, you can buy a kit.
(Source: Evil Mad Scientist)
Sure, books aren't necessarily technology (though ask Guttenberg's ghost what he thinks of that). But since your office went paperless, I bet you have a lot of old manuals, disaster recovery plans, documentation, and whatnot lying around. Why not turn them into a tree? Right now, they're just collecting dust on your cubicle shelf.
(Source: Very Merry Vintage Style)
If you're feeling a little grander than a book tree, call every friend you have ever had and force them to give you their old phones to make a phone tree. This one is made of flip phones, but one from old Androids and iPhones would be even better -- especially if you could upload pictures of ornaments and lights on each screen. Some people string cranberries on their Christmas trees. Maybe I'll string BlackBerrys.
(Source: Catrinetta Mynatt)
The holiday will be televised -- on giant flat-screen TVs, no less. This is the only marketing effort that made our list. But I'd like to think the average IT department could recreate this in the lobby of corporate headquarters with some monitors. And if it does, I think the monitors should all play It's a Wonderful Life on an endless loop, like the good old days when that's what every channel played on Christmas Eve.
(Source: Best Design Options)
I hope this inspired you to deck the halls -- and your cubicle, your servers, and everywhere else. What was your favorite? Do you have any great ideas to share? Share with us in the comments.
(Source: Adafruit Trinket)
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