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It's great that it's getting easier to recycle old electronics and that you can even earn rebates when you recycle, but how do you know which companies are producing greener electronics to begin with? To help navigate the large (and growing) field of electronics companies, and their claims of relative green-ness, Greenpeace has updated its Electronics Scorecard.
Now in its seventh version, the scorecard aims to provide both carrot and stick for the greening of the electronics industry. Greenpeace has taken a look at companies with a wide-angle lens, looking past just cell phones or recycling policies and grading the company as a whole, from which hazardous materials have been eliminated to how much information they give their customers about how to responsibly recycle their products once they've reached the end of their useful life. So, while it won't tell you which is the greenest television of them all, the guide will help you determine which companies are doing it right, and which products are least likely to cause harm to the planet and even to you and your family.
In this latest version (the guides are updated each quarter), Samsung and Toshiba come out tied at the top, with scores of 7.7 out of 10. The companies score top marks on most of the chemicals criteria and are bringing products to the market that are free from the worst chemicals. Using Samsung for example: all new models of LCD panels are now free from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and all new models of mobile phones have circuit boards that are largely free from brominated flame retardants (BFRs), together with the housing and peripherals.
Toshiba scored points because it has made commitments to phase out polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from its whole product range by 2009; it offers models of laptops whose circuit boards are free from BFRs, EcoMark-certified products without PVC, and provides examples of other components and parts that are free from these harmful substances.
On the lower end of the spectrum, Greenpeace gives some hard love to Panasonic, Philips and (lowest of all) Nintendo, who, by their estimation, are way behind the green curve and have the most room for improvement. So when it comes time to upgrade your cell phone, television, PC, or other home electronic device, take a peek at the list and see what is in (and what's being held out) of your favorite company's gear. Greenpeace
Difficulty level: Easy
More green electronics reading in TreeHugger and Planet Green
Green Electronics Guide From Greenpeace
Greenpeace Calls For A Greener Apple
Recycle Your Electronics Easily at Big Retailers
Tell TV Manufacturers to Take Back Your Old Television
Troubleshoot and Fix Your Electronic Gadgets
Clean Up, Prepare Your Old Computer Before You Donate It
Avoid Hazardous Materials, Buy an EPEAT-Registered PC
Earn Rebates When You Recycle Electronics, Gadgets
Find a Green PC for Your Home, Office
Recycle Your Cell Phone for Fun, Profit
Recycle Your Electronics by Mail, for Free
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