The biggest relief was the fact that we – okay the folks from Integrated Desktop Services – were going to wipe the hard drives on the CPUs using the same method we use for our work computers. The hard drives are exposed to an electromagnetic pulse and then melted. The rest of the computer is sent to an agency that refurbishes them for schools or recycles them appropriately if they can’t be reused.

People had kept their CPUs for years because they were afraid about thieves accessing personal information on the hard drive. There are services out there that will remove your hard drive for $25 to $30 for you. As one of our participants said yesterday, the drive was saving people money and time. “People will spend $1,500 on a computer but don’t want to spend $25 to clean the hard drive,” he said.

If you’re ready to get rid of your old computers and there’s no computer recycling drive, several recycling centers in Houston will recycle computers and other electronic equipment. Just make sure you have hard drive is removed. I found out yesterday that some computers have more than one hard drive.

We saw some old computers yesterday, including the first Hewlett-Packard monitor from 1985. We oohed over that, but his wife said for us not to admire too much or he would take it back. We had a good laugh at how big some of the monitors were. Just a couple of years ago, we all had those before the arrival of flat screens.

Some of the strangest things we found were: a refrigerator part, an old medical instrument, and a gigantic printer that collates and stapled like a copier.

But hey, we’ll make sure everything gets recycled. Our first computer recycling day was a big success. We’re already talking about having another one for Earth Day in April.

• Buy what you need. Shop with a list and coupons. Before purchasing luxury items, ask yourself: Do you need it? Will you use it? Is this something that can wait? Do you have the money for it? Layaway is becoming vogue again at stores such as Wal-Mart and K-Mart.

• Reduce, reuse, recycle. Conservation is going to become even more important and vital. Do what you can to save the Earth. Yes, it can time consuming and inconvenient, but the end result is worth it.

• Pay attention to the little things. The little purchases can add up. Daily coffees, lunches, and snacks can add up if you’re purchasing these items at work or stores. Bringing your own coffee and tea and making your own lunches can save a few dollars here and there, and those dollars add up. Stash snacks in your desk drawer for afternoon noshes.

• Pay off your debt. It’s easier said than done, but make every effort to pay your credit cards and other debts as quickly as possible. Use cash or your debit card when making purchases instead of adding to your credit cards. There are many websites out there offering advice on paying down debts.

• Save for future emergencies. Tucking away a few dollars will help you to cope with those emergencies that come up. Setting up an automatic deduction from your checking account into savings so you won’t miss the money. I personally have an ING Direct savings account and have it set up so money automatically goes from my checking into my savings.

Taking small steps now will help us all in the long run, particularly if the future Age of Scarcity results in further belt-tightening. We’ll be ahead of the game.