Water Coolers Special Instructions Never Throw in the Garbage Water coolers contain freon, oil and other hazardous waste from their electronic components. Don’t throw them away because they can leach toxic chemicals into the environment. Ways to Reduce Choose an Energy Saving Water Cooler Look for an ENERGY STAR® certified model, which saves energy and money on operating costs. ENERGY STAR® is a government-backed certification for energy efficient appliances. Ways to Reuse Sell or Donate to a Thrift Store If your water cooler is still in usable condition, consider selling it to a community member on a platform such as Nextdoor, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Or you can drop it off at a thrift store or Habitat for Humanity ReStore so it doesn’t end up in a landfill. Did You Know? The Water Cooler and Workplace Culture Before reusable water bottles were popular, office employees used to gather around the water cooler to get cups of water during the day. It was an informal meeting place where people could chat. The water cooler became a valuable part of workplace culture and led tech leaders to design company spaces to promote even more collaboration. Read more from Inverse.