Can a Cell Phone Really Be Green?

When we read about low wage workers in unsafe conditions sifting through piles of discarded computers and cell phones in some far off country, many of us find ourselves asking if there is a way to make electronic devices sustainable, and how we can reverse the process of making the Third World a dumping ground for our e-waste. Is it even possible to make devices truly “green”, considering the many toxic ingredients involved in their manufacturing (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, etc), which when not properly disposed of, contaminate air, soil and groundwater? Other things to consider are recyclability, energy efficiency, and whether a phone can even be upgraded in order to extend its lifespan.

A number of cell phone manufacturers are beginning to make strides in addressing these issues, including Nokia, Motorola and Samsung. Nokia has been getting a lot of press lately, for their Remade and Eco Sensor phone concepts, featuring recycled aluminum, plastic, rubber, and glass, and so-called “printed electronics”, as well as the potential incorporation of an interface to monitor personal health and environmental conditions. Motorola has been working on a display screen for a phone, which would double as a solar charger, and Samsung is said to be developing a way by which to power cell phones through a water-hydrogen system. Even a Chinese manufacturer not yet well known in the West, Hi-Tech Wealth, has had a solar chargeable phone on the market since last year, with many more planned to launch in the near future. Clearly, the more efficient phones (and chargers) that are now on the market, and these R&D efforts themselves, represent potential progress in terms of positive impact within a market that is known for style-driven products with short lives, but it may take some time before any of these exciting concepts emerge from the realm of ideas, to become reality.

In the meantime, as consumers, we must make efforts to use our cell phones as long as possible, and recycle them only when they cease to work effectively, rather than replace them every one to one and a half years, which is the average. Nonetheless, it is important to keep in mind that ultimately, the responsibility of proper disposal of electronic waste should rest on manufacturers, as is becoming the norm in Europe (European Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment), with the consumer taking up the slack before such options exist worldwide. This sort of mindset will not be established however, before legislation is in place, that will direct companies to redesign their products in such a way that they can effectively be taken back at end of life. Certainly no small task.

For those inclined to recycle their old cell phones, a number of options exist. Apart from the large retail chains at which you can drop off old phones and batteries (Best Buy, Staples, Radio Shack, etc), many cell phone manufacturers (Nokia and Motorola included) are starting to have their own direct recycle-to programs. One may also donate old phones to honorable organizations like ReCellular.com and the Support Network for Battered Women, and some organizations like greenphone.com and RIPMobile (and many others), even buy old cell phones, and donate them to various charities. Earth 911 also offers a guide to lessen your electronics’ environmental impact, including many further options to breathe potential new life into your old cell phone.

Some informative selections from You Tube:

GOOD Magazine: E-Waste

The Secret Life of Cell Phones by INFORM, Inc

How Cell Phone Recycling Works

Bamboo or Plastic?

Over the past several years, a trend has emerged, of consumer electronics companies employing counter-intuitive materials like bamboo, as an alternative for their product housings, ranging from Amadana’s popular line of elegant consumer electronics, to Asus‘ upcoming line of laptops and LCD monitors, and even Dell’s recent foray in this direction, with it’s energy-efficient “Mini PC” concept shown at CES 2008. Does this represent a positive revolution in the effort to find alternatives to virgin or toxic materials, or simply a case of jumping on the green material bandwagon without considering the potential short-lived or negative consequences? Certainly, using bamboo means less plastic is used, which is perhaps a step in the right direction, and Asus even claims that its laptops will feature interchangeable (and recyclable) bamboo panels, but there are more things to consider.

As these and other companies increasingly use such materials, it is important for them to ensure that their sources be grown and maintained with the highest standards of sustainability (as natural as it is, bamboo can also be grown through great destruction to forests), while at the same time, develop sensible buy-back programs as well as strive to develop genuine non-toxic alternatives to typical electronic components. Many companies are beginning to see the benefit of adhering to environmentally sensible principals, so there is hope that initial steps like using bamboo, will be combined with the overriding long term mission to design and manufacture the electronics of the future with zero negative effects. An ideal whose time has certainly come.

Who Needs Batteries? (The Simple Genius of Solar Flashlights)

It’s hard to imagine a more complete and practical “green gadget” than a solar-powered LED flashlight made from recycled plastic. Well, at least manufacturers have the solar and LED part down, with the the recycled plastic part hopefully not too far behind, as some company out there incorporates this added benefit to their product line (think Recycline’s toothbrushes and razor handles).

As columnist Thomas Friedman has suggested, for so long, the United States had been considered the leader in technological ingenuity and development, but when it comes to clean technology and its related offspring - including something as straightforward and logical as a solar-powered flashlight - the nation lags behind others. For example, even China, which has recently matched or surpassed the U.S. in terms of its negative environmental impact, is manufacturing solar-powered flashlights and other related energy saving products, and may ironically be poised to surpass the U.S. in the rapid development of green consumer goods. However, once local, State, and Federal governments finally comprehend the enormous benefit that would come from creating a massive green manufacturing sector, including wind, solar, hydrogen (and beyond), these products may be manufactured here, and Friedman will have his wish of the U.S. living up to its potential. With problems ranging from water and food scarcity, to inadequate or non existent energy generation infrastructure, a new wave of designers and social activists are being inspired to develop a range of environmentally progressive products and services to serve various populations, and the solar-powered flashlight represents just the beginning.

BoGo Light

Earthtorch

Eclipse Solar Powered Flashlights

What’s in that Roll?

Mention it to most people, and you’ll probably either get a humorous aside or no response at all, but make no mistake. Toilet paper is serious business. The earliest known use of toilet paper is said to have been in 6th Century China, and since that time, the product has seen some dramatic improvements. It wasn’t until 1883, when Seth Wheeler of Albany, NY got a patent for a roll of paper wrapped around a tube, that what we now think of as modern day toilet paper or “bathroom tissue” was born.

Considering the extent of recycled paper in the final product, toilet paper is a perfect example of wide-scale reuse of waste material. Two of the most well-known recycled paper product manufacturers are Marcal and Seventh Generation, both of whom have made it their business to grow financially while reducing waste and doing good by the environment – their paper household products are made from 100% recycled content. To illustrate how serious Marcal is in this regard, the company has recently developed a co-product called Kaofin® Fiber clay, made from the clay and cellulosic fiber waste that comes at the end of the recycling process for glossy coated paper products such as magazines. This can then be used for a number of applications, including for landfill cover, as a cement additive, and in the manufacture of animal bedding.

How Toilet Paper is Made on You Tube

How Toilet Paper is Made article on www.madehow.com

Skaters Gone Green

Since co-founding the company in 1998 in Oakland, CA, Jason Salfi and partner Don Shaffer, have run Comet Skateboards with an environmentally prudent approach to doing business. From the beginning, they wanted to offer the skater market a less toxic product, through the use of FSC-certified poplar and maple, and water-based finishes, without compromising the high performance requirements of the product (they are actually in the process of developing a soy based resin with the help of Cornell University, as well as beginning to use sustainably grown bamboo). Many users even testify that the boards have more spring or “pop” to them, allowing for higher overall strength and performance.

Similar to furniture made from the same processes, the very components of most skateboards are highly toxic or unsustainable, like the VOC-producing lacquer-based resins and glues, and woods from unsustainable sources. With the development of a skateboard made with their proprietary soy protein polymer and natural fiber and grass core, Salfi notes that Comet is “effectively, creating a board that could grow from sprout in one season and be skated and then bio-degrade when it breaks and grow again and again”, a notion that could surely spread to different industries, as manufacturers realize the benefits of this sort of approach. To top it off, Comet now boasts “green collar” jobs, local material sourcing, and clean energy use, thanks to the opening of their new manufacturing facility in Ithaca, NY last November.

Sustainable Punk, Campus Progress.org

The Eco Advantage, Inc Magazine (November 2006)

Jason Salfi and Comet Skateboards on YouTube

The F3 Factory

SusChem is the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry. It is a multi-stakeholder body looking to help shape the European research agenda to ensure its alignment with the future requirements of a sustainable chemical industry. SusChem is focusing on three technology areas (Industrial Biotechnology, Materials Technology and Reaction & Process Design) and generic Horizontal Issues affecting innovation in Europe. SusChem is a joint initiative of Cefic and EuropaBio supported by the European Commission.

F3 stands for future, fast, flexible.

They are developing a flexible demonstration plant that will showcase the valuable of efficient, low-impact manufacturing. Their demonstration of technology is an attempt to promote the larger adoption of F³ Factories all over Europe. Their approach “greening” factories and production addresses the entire manufacturing process, including raw materials, energy used, staffing and logistics. They see the F3 factory as a new, crucial step towards future successful and competitive projects centered around sustainability in Europe. While building new facilities, they are also retrofitting high–performance to work with machines in the existing infrastructure. Their initiative aims to analyze the whole production processes, inspiring new technologies and encompassing a products full life-cycle to minimize the use of resources and improve eco-efficiency.

Further information on SusChem activities can be found at suschem.org.

US Manufacturing Going Strong

Surprisingly, as US service industries shrank last month, factories expanded. Accounting for approximately 12 percent of the economy, manufacturing held strong in the United States. What does this say about our spending and production? Are consumers buying less as a result of higher prices and a loss in jobs? Bloomberg.com covers this pressing issue but neglects to mention the many eco-minded consumers who are now asking for locally made products, supporting manufacturers in the US while also buying less product in general. For the full article see bloomberg.com.

Titanium, How Is It Made?

Discovered in England during 1791 and named after the Titans of Greek mythology, Titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal. Industrial Designers and Architects know the amazing reputation and properties of Titanium however few outside of the aerospace and medical industries are well acquainted with the manufacturing process. This video from The Science Channel covers the production process in several steps. For more information about the history and production of this amazing high-tech material, click here…