ABOUT
Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Written by EWG staff.
DONATE TO EWG!
Help us protect your health and environment! Please donate $5 to EWG today.
GET EWG'S TIPS & ACTION ALERTS
Sign Up here to receive email updates and tips from EWG and stay informed on the issues that matter most to you.
ENVIROBLOG VIA EMAIL
Join EWG's live chat with Chef Ann Cooper
School lunch: More fruits & veggies, please!
Texas Schools are Drilling for Dollars
Why do blowouts take so long to fix?
SEARCH ENVIROBLOG
FEATURED
Support the 2010 Safe Cosmetics Act. It's Urgent.
Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?
Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure
Test Your Knowledge of Cosmetics Safety: 8 Myths Debunked
EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series
EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure
EWG on TV
Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill
Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water
Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen
BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics
What can I do about fluoride in my water?
What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?
Are stainless steel water bottles safe?
Is mineral-based makeup safer?
PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS
TALK TO US
Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.
« Want to shop green? Buy less. | Main | Speaking of gadgetry. . . »
The future of green gadgetry
Without a doubt, the best way to buy "green" is to buy less. And in most cases, that's sufficient advice (although it doesn't hurt to be an informed consumer). But when it comes to the gadgets in our lives, it's not that simple. If your cell phone is your primary means of communication, and it breaks, you probably won't feel compelled to not buy another in the name of environmentalism. And if your computer goes kaput, especially if it represents a significant part of your life or livelihood, odds are you'll be in the market for a new one.
There's a lot to take into consideration when you're in the market for a new piece of electronic equipment. You'll want to know how much power it uses, the toxic chemicals it contains, and what the company's take-back program is like -- and that's on top of investigating processors and platforms and everything else that goes into choosing, for example, a new computer.
Greenpeace to the rescue! In late 2007, they invited electronics industry leaders to submit their most environmentally friendly products to a product survey. Greenpeace's company line-up provides a good sense of who's leading the way, so if you're in the market it's a good place to start.
It seems, according to the report, that there's good news on the horizon. If some companies have been able to make great improvements, there's no reason why others can't follow. Unfortunately, Apple, Microsoft, and Nintendo declined to participate, which means that Greenpeace has limited information on three of the biggest electronics retailers.
I would question the research that Greenpeace uses to calculate the "green" score of electronics products. There is also no way for a company to be completely environmentally friendly, considering that many users do not recycle their computers and cell phones, which end up in landfills or in West Africa.
Meep, you're right about the amount of electronic trash we produce. Notice that the highest score Greenpeace gives any of the companies they rank is less than an eight out of ten -- still high, maybe, but there's clearly room for improvement. I can't recall off the top of my head if the scores are comparative or based on independent criteria.