This week in tech, Volvo’s washable, reflective spray paint will save lives, the appeal of the Motorola Moto E phone, and where to recycle electronics.

What to do with old, unused electronics

Drop-off event at the parking lot of Shoppers Drug Mart on Davie Street in the West End between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Visit Return-It for more information on responsibly disposing of electronics. If you want to recycle other items, the Recyclepedia can help (it also exists as a mobile app for Android and iOS).

And you can always donate used computer equipment to Free Geek.

Hands on with the Motorola Moto E

You don’t have to spend more than $500 on a smartphone. The Moto E from Motorola is only $150, without a contract.

The new version of the Moto E, released last month, supports 4G/LTE, has a larger battery that is rated for a day’s use, and double the storage capacity (with 8 GB) as last year’s model. You can add more storage with

It runs the latest Lollipop version of Android, and is free from the software bloat that comes with so many Android handsets these days.

The big drawbacks are in the display and the camera capability, which aren’t as good as what you’ll get with a more expensive smartphone (don’t even think about trying to take pictures in low light situations).

Personalize your Moto E with coloured rims that easily snap on and off (which is also how you access the SIM and microSD card slots).

The second generation Moto E is a budget phone, and if you’re keeping to a tight budget, it’s a solid choice.

Reflective spray paint makes things visible at night

Volvo, the Swedish car manufacturer, has developed what it calls LifePaint, a spray paint that is highly reflective and water soluble.

Invisible in the daylight, the paint glows, brightly, when headlights shine on it. It’s being marketed as a product to help keep cyclists safe at night, which it surely will do, but it will also be a benefit to anyone who is out at night and needs to be visible.

What’s great about LifePaint is that it washes off after about a week. The product designers claim the paint will not harm anything it’s sprayed on, but I wouldn’t apply it to my best clothes. Not that I’m riding my bike in my best clothes, but some urban commuters do.

Only available in England, but Volvo has suggested it will make LifePaint available elsewhere if it proves successful.

Here’s LifePaint in action.