Apparently, It’s Not Easy Being Green

Well, at least if you are producing electronics. GreenPeace just published its quarterly report (they have run it 7 times since August ‘06) on the top 18 computer, cell phone, tv and video game companies and how they do in producing “Greener Electronics.”

While GreenPeace let’s you know how the companies do from one year to the next, they also have the previous reports linked so that you can see how they have been doing over to 1.5 year period that they have been running the report.

You can even read about why each company got the ranking that they received and how their practices have changed in the past quarter (if they have changed). While no one has yet received a 10 in going fully green (or as green as GreenPeace expects them to go), companies like Nokia, Sony, Dell, and Lenovo are inching towards it (all currently with 7.3).

For you Apple fans, they are tied on the second tier with Sony Ericsson, LGE, Fujitsu-Siemens and HP with 6.7, but have been inching their way up (while Sony-Ericsson, LGE, Fujitsu-Siemmens have all gone down).

This is interesting info and worth a peak, especially if you are concerned that your electronics will still be sitting in a landfill polluting the Earth for years after you are gone.

And for those of you in the market for a new TV, we have TakeBackMyTV (TBMTV). I think to best explain it we’ll use their words:

Last year 45.5 million TVs were sold around the world. Americans will buy 30 million digital TVs in 2007 alone.

In fact, Americans bought over 2.5 million just in preparation for the last Super Bowl!

With the popularity of flat screen and hi-definition TVs replacing older boxes, the sheer volume of electronic waste has gotten out of control.

Do you know where your old TV’s will end up? Well, it’s time we all did, and it’s time for customers and manufacturers alike to wake up to a looming humanitarian and environmental crisis.

Only 12% of “e-waste” is recycled because there are simply too few options for convenient recycling.

It’s time to hold TV manufacturers responsible just as they are in other countries of the world—including Japan, Taiwan and throughout the European Union.

Sony has already jumped on board, they have begun to take back their old TVs, actually they have taken it a step forward (which is reflected in their rating from GreenPeace) and will take back all Sony electronics dropped off at a designated recycling centers.

They even signed an agreement:

…Takeback Coalition’s ‘Manufacturer Commitment to Responsible E-Waste Recycling.’

This commits Sony to make sure that e-waste collected in its program will not be dumped in developing countrieirs, will not go to prison labor recycling plants, and will not end up in our landfills or incinerators.
Sony will take back any used product with Sony’s name on it, at no cost to consumers, and will eventually reach a goal of recycling a pound of old electronics for every new pound of products sold.

You can learn more about Sony’s efforts here.