By Donna Ryan
Rating the Wireless Providers on their Concern for the Environment
So, how green is your cell phone? According to recent research, AT&T Wireless seems to be more conscientious than other major cell phone providers when it comes to caring about the planet. Sprint Nextel came in second in the studies while Verizon trailed far behind, placing third among the major firms. According to the findings, AT&T apparently demonstrated that it has made and is making an effort to address the issue of CO2 emissions.
Cell Phone Usage – Contributing to the Problem of Global Warming
When it comes to greenhouse emissions, telecommunication networks currently emit about three percent of the gases on a yearly basis with cell phone networks contributing to about ten percent of that percentage. However, major cell phone companies have been able to lower CO2 emissions to a certain degree by producing phones that are more energy-efficient. AT&T stated that they have succeeded in reducing CO2 or carbon dioxide emissions to a level that translates to an amount equal to the removal of 40,000 cars off the highway. However, considering that there are millions of cars traveling the thoroughfares, that figure seems rather insignificant when you look at the picture overall.
Solar and Wind Usage – Organic Sources that Need to Be Fully Utilized
Currently, most cell phone manufacturers are not devoting more attention to upgrading the technology so phones can efficiently work with alternative or organic energy sources such as wind and solar. Typically these options are considered as backup sources of power.
Cell Phone Components – Hazardous Materials
The fact that companies are not more dedicated to creating phones using alternative energy sources is not particularly good news, especially when you consider that some of the components that make up cell phones are considered to be quite toxic. For example, cell phones can be comprised of materials that are made up of PVC, zinc, lead, phthalates, brominated flame retardants, and even arsenic. Many of these materials end up in landfills where they take decades to disintegrate, with a good portion of the toxic byproducts leaking into ground water supplies or contributing to global warming.
Therefore, if you no longer want your cell phone, make sure you don’t trash it but donate it for recycling instead. You really don’t want the device ending up in a landfill, especially since most of the approximately 150 million cell phones that are used are relegated to the trash. In fact, eighty percent of those phones are never recycled but continue to corrupt the environment.
Some Green Cell Phone Models
Samsung Models
So, when it comes to actually marketing environmentally friendly phones or green cell phones, the Samsung brand seems to lead the pack, creating a number of models, such as the Reclaim, BlueEarth, and F268 for consumer use.
The Reclaim by Samsung is made of 80% recyclable content, with the casing for the phone manufactured from a biological plastic composed from corn. The phone is also PVC-free and Energy Star endorsed. Samsung claims that the phone is almost free of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which have been found to be highly toxic as well as hard to degrade.
Samsung asserts that its BlueEarth model, introduced to the UK market, produces less CO2 and is phthalate and beryllium free. A solar panel is located on the back of the phone to keep the device operational. Samsung’s F268 model phone is free of the carcinogenic chlorinated plastic of PVC as well as BFR too.
A Motorola Innovation
Motorola has also been touting its Renew phone, showcased as the first cell phone on the market that emits no CO2. Designed and manufactured with water bottles that have been recycled, the phone is notably totally recyclable.
Review your Options
Hopefully, people will eventually value the importance of using cell phones that are free of harmful substances and materials. If you are using a cell phone now that would be considered unsafe, take time to review the safer alternatives.
Rating the Wireless Providers on their Concern for the Environment
So, how green is your cell phone? According to recent research, AT&T Wireless seems to be more conscientious than other major cell phone providers when it comes to caring about the planet. Sprint Nextel came in second in the studies while Verizon trailed far behind, placing third among the major firms. According to the findings, AT&T apparently demonstrated that it has made and is making an effort to address the issue of CO2 emissions.
Cell Phone Usage – Contributing to the Problem of Global Warming
When it comes to greenhouse emissions, telecommunication networks currently emit about three percent of the gases on a yearly basis with cell phone networks contributing to about ten percent of that percentage. However, major cell phone companies have been able to lower CO2 emissions to a certain degree by producing phones that are more energy-efficient. AT&T stated that they have succeeded in reducing CO2 or carbon dioxide emissions to a level that translates to an amount equal to the removal of 40,000 cars off the highway. However, considering that there are millions of cars traveling the thoroughfares, that figure seems rather insignificant when you look at the picture overall.
Solar and Wind Usage – Organic Sources that Need to Be Fully Utilized
Currently, most cell phone manufacturers are not devoting more attention to upgrading the technology so phones can efficiently work with alternative or organic energy sources such as wind and solar. Typically these options are considered as backup sources of power.
Cell Phone Components – Hazardous Materials
The fact that companies are not more dedicated to creating phones using alternative energy sources is not particularly good news, especially when you consider that some of the components that make up cell phones are considered to be quite toxic. For example, cell phones can be comprised of materials that are made up of PVC, zinc, lead, phthalates, brominated flame retardants, and even arsenic. Many of these materials end up in landfills where they take decades to disintegrate, with a good portion of the toxic byproducts leaking into ground water supplies or contributing to global warming.
Therefore, if you no longer want your cell phone, make sure you don’t trash it but donate it for recycling instead. You really don’t want the device ending up in a landfill, especially since most of the approximately 150 million cell phones that are used are relegated to the trash. In fact, eighty percent of those phones are never recycled but continue to corrupt the environment.
Some Green Cell Phone Models
Samsung Models
So, when it comes to actually marketing environmentally friendly phones or green cell phones, the Samsung brand seems to lead the pack, creating a number of models, such as the Reclaim, BlueEarth, and F268 for consumer use.
The Reclaim by Samsung is made of 80% recyclable content, with the casing for the phone manufactured from a biological plastic composed from corn. The phone is also PVC-free and Energy Star endorsed. Samsung claims that the phone is almost free of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which have been found to be highly toxic as well as hard to degrade.
Samsung asserts that its BlueEarth model, introduced to the UK market, produces less CO2 and is phthalate and beryllium free. A solar panel is located on the back of the phone to keep the device operational. Samsung’s F268 model phone is free of the carcinogenic chlorinated plastic of PVC as well as BFR too.
A Motorola Innovation
Motorola has also been touting its Renew phone, showcased as the first cell phone on the market that emits no CO2. Designed and manufactured with water bottles that have been recycled, the phone is notably totally recyclable.
Review your Options
Hopefully, people will eventually value the importance of using cell phones that are free of harmful substances and materials. If you are using a cell phone now that would be considered unsafe, take time to review the safer alternatives.
RSS Feed
