At least one big box store can see the marketing opportunity presented by Earth Day.  Staples is offering a $50 rebate on any printer purchase over $179 when customers recycle their old printer.  The event runs through May 2, 2009 in the company’s 1,500 stores.  Staples ran the same printer recycling event last year and collected over 100,000 printers.  Staples is also making a donation to the Carbonfund for every printer purchased from its EcoEasy line by HP.

On Earth Day, April 22nd,  Staples will also accept any technology product they sell for free recycling (one item per customer).

If you have an ink jet printer Staples offers a $3 rebate on recycled cartridges.  They’ve been running that program for some time.