electronics

The Environmental Protection Agency has done little to curb the export of discarded electronic products containing hazardous waste, much of which ends up in poorly regulated countries and harms the environment and public health, the Government Accountability Office concluded in a report being released today.

How much waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), what type of WEEE is it (different WEEE pose different hazardous material/waste management challenges), and what is happening once they are at end of product life? We start by looking at Argentina.

Effective e-waste recycling...

PR is close to adopting a law banning e-waste from landfills & requiring take-back & recycling for old electronics (computers, photocopiers, printers, PDAs, cell phones, TVs, etc.).

PolyFuel announced yesterday that they have a working prototype of their methanol fuel cell laptop which they will demonstrating across the consumer electronics industry. The prototype is a Lenovo T40 that uses a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). This technology converts methanol to electricity to run the computer. It's lighter lasts longer and paves the way for more eco-friendly electronics.

Today the environment minister is introducing a new fee on computers and tvs sold in Ontario.  The fee is deigned to help recycle electronics and is the first step in a province wide recycling effort.

Sam Pulcrano, Vice President, Sustainability, United States Postal Service (USPS) is interviewed about sustainability initiatives at the US Postal Service, including recycling, energy efficiency, and the new business opportunities sustainability brings.

Tired of lugging around a battery charger? Not sure how effective those rechargeable batteries actually are at protecting the environment?

45% less power... this is a huge step forward in the computer industry.  The number of monitors and computer related electronics being used worldwide is massive.  Anything to bring down this energy consumption is great!  Interesting write article.

To battle the e-waste problem, the U.S. Postal Service is working with recycling company Clover Technologies Group to develop a free national collection program for small electronics.

Our appetite for electronic goods, especially cell phones and computers, is so voracious, we are now threatening to deplete valuable resources and generate huge amounts of toxic materials at the same time. Recycling of electronic goods, when it happens, is difficult, potentially hazardous and immensely labor intensive.

Nowadays, it seems that everyone has some sort of game console. If you don’t have an Xbox 360, a Playstation 3 or a Nintendo Wii, you’re just not considered cool. But whether you’re a green gamer or not, you might want to take a second look at how these consoles could be harming your physical health.

So .... who, in the electronics industry, is at the forefront in fighting climate change and who is sadly ignorant to the fact that everything is hotting up around them. Maybe we should all think twice and take things like this into consideration before making that next electronics purchase.

Here's how to go green with your mobile phone without putting in a whole lot of effort.

Cuba has lifted the ban on electric bikes and other electronic items as new President Raul Castro wants real progress for the nation.

It may not be intuitive, but voice mail uses less energy, and results in less hazardous waste than answering machines.

To give an idea of how far we have progressed since the original advocates pressed for electronic recycling programs, Wal-Mart is calling for more uniform U.S. guidelines regarding consumer electronics, energy consumption and recycling.

Ever wanted to say a few things to computer companies? This post thanks computer companies for making greening efforts, but implores them to go one step further and tells them, "Create them (totally green computers) and we will buy."

Win an energy-saving EcoButton. Plugs into the USB port of any PC...

Apple is making a stronger commitment to the environment, as evident in the unveiling of it's latest laptop, which is the first computer to be mercury free. It also boasts arsenic-free glass and lead-free circuit boards, among other features. Apple has been on the environmentally conscious path since 1990 from their product designs to responsible manufacturing. According to the website, Apple plans to eradicate the use of PVC, BFRs and arsenic in its products by the end of 2008.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) offers consumers online resources on how to properly recycle old electronics equipment.

Discussion on the Energy Star program, on "greening your holiday" with electronics, gifts, products, and services that are energy efficient and save money.

                        Welcome www.buymytronics.com, who is buying your broken and used iPods, iPhones, and gaming consoles at competitive prices to keep them out of landfills, and gives them a second life. Before you pitch, be reminded that electronic equipment leaches hazardous chemicals into our landfills.  This Company offers a great environmental incentive to send your electronics to them

Costco takes back old electronics (shipping free) and in most cases, gives cash credit back for future purchases. CRT and FAX machines get no credits but they will take them.

Taking an alternative approach to designing and manufacturing iPod sound systems, Vers has launched a new line of handcrafted wood iPod sound systems. Produced from sustainably-managed plantation sources, Vers uses 80% less plastic then competitors; energy efficient components and 100% recycled packaging all add to the effort.

Yep, they're here, no matter where you are you have power for your laptop, cell phone or whatever you might depend on while away from the grid.

Manufacturers at Europe's biggest consumer electronics touted their green credentials in vain to customers more interested in bigger and brighter screens. There's still a whole lot of work to do in raising consumer awareness it seems.

That’s right, it’s WATER power for your alarm clock!

These days most people know to recycle the basics: cans, bottles, plastics and paper. But what about cell phones, televisions and old computers? Electronics are the fastest growing type of waste in the world. In America alone, we're discarding more than 250 million computers and 100 million cell phones each year. So what's the solution?

Check out the movie.

First pictures of PC World's carbon neutral PC. The computer has a 'recycled aluminium case and use sustainable forested wood in the screen bezel, mouse and keyboard, and the company is purchasing carbon offsets to match the consequences of its manufacturing process. PC World says that at around 40 watts, its PC will use between 13 and 17 percent of the energy of a standard desktop.'