Urban Ecoist

Greenpeace has just released it’s updated ninth edition of the Guide to Greener Electronics. As this site is not Flash-enabled, I cannot embed the neat-o graphic to give you a quick view of which companies are making the grade in responsible manufacturing as well as disposal and recycling of their obsolete gadgets.

© Greenpeace / Will Rose

Oddly, as I traded in a Nokia (which leads the rankings) for a Motorola cell phone, I find myself on the lower end of the responsibility scale. Same with my Xbox 360. Luckily, the Dell laptop I use and the Apple desktop are in the middle in the rankings, but that really doesn’t make me feel any better. I hate my Dell, but I love my Xbox. What is an ecoist-nerd to do?

Let’s first look at Motorola. Here is the Greenpeace summary of the company’s efforts.

Motorola drops to 15th place, scoring 3.7 points, losing points because although its models of chargers are certified as Energy Star compliant in March 2007 – this is not since the latest energy efficiency standard for chargers (v.1.1) came into effect, which was in January 2005; it therefore scores no points on this criterion. In the U.S, all Motorola’s mobile phone chargers exceed ENERGY STAR Tier 2 requirements by more than 50 percent in sleep and standby/no-load modes – but what about chargers sold outside the US? On the other energy criteria Motorola scores relatively well for disclosing greenhouse gas emissions, committing to cuts and reporting a 5.4% renewable energy use (as proportion of all electricity purchased) in 2007. Motorola scores better on the chemicals and e-waste criteria. The company has launched 55 models of mobile phone with BFR free circuit boards. However, Motorola is the only mobile phone brand to still fail to commit to eliminating all BFRs and PVC with a timeline, in all of its products. On waste issues, Motorola provides a take-back and recycling service in 73 countries, representing over 90% of global mobile phone unit sales. It reports a global take-back rate of 3% of total handsets sold in 2005.

I do have to wonder how the “take-back” percentage is figured out. Is it just what Motorola itself takes back or any of the phone recyclers? I know that when I switched over to Credo Mobile, I was sent an envelope to recycle my old phone. Let’s say that is also a Motorola, but if I am sending it to a third-party recycler, would that phone be counted by Motorola in it’s “take-back” numbers?

Now, Microsoft.

Microsoft is in 17th position with a miserable score of 2.2 points, mainly on toxic chemicals criteria. The company provides a timeline of the end of 2010 for eliminating phthalates. On e-waste, Microsoft scores only on its weak support for Individual Producer Responsibility. On energy, the company only scores for reporting its total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, from its own operations and although it now has a Climate Change Policy it makes no reference to specific reduction targets for greenhouse gases.

Perhaps Microsoft has been spending too much of its efforts in its lame ad campaigns, instead of making the company more environmentally responsible? The Seinfeld ad was just stupid, and watching Bill Gates “adjust” himself was just disturbing.

Good thing I have put off buying that Wii. Check out Nintendo’s scoring.

Nintendo remains in last place with a pitiful 0.8 points out of 10, scoring zero on all e-waste criteria. The company has banned phthalates and is monitoring use of antimony and beryllium and although it is endeavouring to eliminate the use of PVC, it has not set a timeline for its phase out. Nintendo discloses carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from its own operations and commits to cutting CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases by 2% over each previous year. However, Nintendo admits that an increase in business led to a 6% rise in CO2 emissions in 2006.

If you would like to explore the Guide to Greener Electronics yourself, you can visit the Greenpeace website here.

This guide and many like it underscore the problems with the end-life issues with the electronics that we all have and love. I will discuss more about the problem with e-waste in the next few days.

© Greenpeace / Natalie Behring

Greenpeace, Guide to Greener Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Microsoft, Dell, Apple, Wii, Nintendo, Xbox, Xbox 360, e-waste, toxic substances, recycling, environmentally responsible computing, cell phone recycling, take-back

“Carbonfund.org and Volkswagen are glad you’ve taken an interest in the Carbon Neutral Project. It’s an initiative that’s making it easy for Volkswagen owners and friends to take action toward offsetting their carbon emissions right away. And to kick-start the project, Volkswagen will offset the carbon emissions for one year of every new Volkswagen purchased in the U.S. from September 1, 2007 thru January 2, 2008. The contributions of the Carbon Neutral Project will be put toward the re-forestation of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, a.k.a. The VW Forest. Thanks for checking us out. And we hope you’ll join us.”

:source

carbonfund.org, volkswagon, vw, carbon emissions, carbon offset

With the holiday weekend coming up, I know that a lot of people will be planning cookouts and lots of outdoor activities. As with most summers, one of the largest irritants (other than the blazing Texas heat) is the incessant drone of mosquitoes in your ears and flies swarming your hamburger.

My family always kept a bug zapper outside when I was a kid. I always thought that it was so cool to hear that ‘zzt’ as the pesky critters got fried to oblivion. As it turns out, bug zappers really aren’t that efficient at killing mosquitoes and may cause more harm than good, especially if used where people are eating or drinking. As found by Kansas State researchers, as the bugs are zapped they shower the surrounding areas with microorganisms (including viruses) that can land on food and in drinks.

Additionally, some research has shown that bug zappers actually kill more beneficial insects than actual pests. In fact, researchers have estimated that only 0.22% of bugs zapped are pests, while 13% are insect predators and parasites.

Kansas State
University of Florida
Mosquito News

mosquitoes, bug zapper, hoildays, bbq, hamburgers, insects, bugs

I got an email, as I’m sure many of you did from Co-op America just recently. Obviously soliciting me for my hard earned money… but that’s not really the point. The email stated:

Ford and GM don’t want you to know that ethanol-fueled cars are less fuel efficient and, using current technologies, can produce more global warming gases than gasoline-fueled cars.

Instead of improving fuel efficiency and increasing production of hybrid and plug-in vehicles, Ford and GM are paying big bucks to convince Americans that corn ethanol is the only viable fuel alternative for our future.

There were no sources quoted in the email, and I didn’t find any on the site. But in my searching I did find these articles that I thought you might find interesting.
Chevron CEO: Corn is not the answer
A Sweeter Way to Go Green

And a bit of humor…Final proof that ethanol is NOT the answer to our energy needs

corn, sugar, ethanol, gasoline, co-op america

I was in REI yesterday looking for a small compass for my significant other. Being in a new state, surrounded by trees, and not being able to see the horizon, he is really struggling to get his bearings. Here in Texas, I’ve never struggled to know which direction was North. And honestly, it’s a very rare occasion when I have gotten lost. But I imagine being in NC, it might be a little different.

Either way, REI has introduced a new label to their lines that will indicate which items are eco-friendly. Basically what this will mean is that the item is made with recycled, renewable and/or organic fibers. By mid-September, it is reported that they will have more than 40 items with the new labeling.

“While we previously offered REI brand clothing that contained environmentally sensitive fibers, we are moving from a grassroots approach to a formalized commitment to environmental performance in our products,” said Lee Fromson, vice president of REI Gear & Apparel. “Many of our customers recognize that their purchase decisions have a direct impact on the natural world, and we are committed to offering alternatives that are more environmentally friendly.”

REI, eco-friendly, icon, label, tag

There is only 1 day left to Participate!, TreeHugger and Current TV’s contest to get you - and your best eco-idea - to Burning Man. As a part of this year’s theme, “The Green Man”, Burning Man is looking for the best open-source ideas to help green the way we live, eat, drive, build, etc. So, what’s your best open-source idea? Send it to: contest [at] treehugger [dot] com by 11:59pm EST tomorrow, August 11th, and you could win 2 tickets to Burning Man, the Burning Book, and a chance to be featured on Current TV’s “TV Free Burning Man” coverage of the event. But, we do need to see what you are working on, so be sure to send us a 3D (preferable) or 2D image with your idea. Now, go Participate!

source: TreeHugger

burning man

Actually, there’s so much that I could say about the CNN article on a new electric car… it would make an article in and of itself. And honestly, I’d rather you read the author’s words than mine.

But I was talking this over with one of my coworkers who seemed to think that the ideas presented in the article were the dumbest he’d heard in quite some time. He thinks that employer’s would never provide solar powered charging stations. He doesn’t think that Americans would rent the batteries for their cars (understanding that by doing so you decrease the actual cost of the car, though your total payment would probably be the same.) But he says that “if it doesn’t save the average consumer money, then it’s not really resolving the battery concern, just putting a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

I’m not going to tell you everything he said, because it might make you as angry as it made me. Regardless of whether the idea is perfect or not, it is a step in the right direction, and I don’t think that part can be denied. My point is simply this: there will have to come a time when we make decisions based on betterment rather than money, or we will all die - and what good is money when you are dead?

Due to my skin issues and really just wanting to be better to myself, I’ve followed a lot of the information and reviews about the chemicals we put on and in our bodies. Wednesday, I had to go to the dentist for a cleaning. After the procedure, I was instructed to use Fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.

I’ve read about fluoride and how bad it is and that it doesn’t help fight cavities. So, I’d stopped using fluoride toothpaste years ago. Now, I know that public drinking water is fluoridated. But because I was trying not to had more plastic to the landfill I skipped on the bottled water - opting to try and decrease my fluoride exposure. And of course, I’ve known that several of the bottled waters are tap water, some bottles have actually said it from day one.

But now, a major vendor is coming forward and stating that their water is also tap water. Meaning Aquafina drinkers trying to avoid fluoride, might not have ever really avoided it.

*sigh*

Seems like we can’t win.

dentist, fluoride, poison, bottled water, tap water, Aquafina, PepsiCo

Although I’m sure you will read otherwise, and I know a lot of frugal persons really hold on to and embrace their ‘cheapskate’ titles, frugality is not always a sign of being cheap.

There are a lot of ideas and tips out there that not only will save you money but are good for the environment as well. Take fabric softener for instance (I mention in only because my dead phone still has a lingering fresh scent), it’s not really good for you, but it’s also not good for the environment. Here’s why.  But did you know that there are cheaper alternatives? Did you know that plain old vinegar works just as well? That’s not al. That’s hardly the tip of the iceburg!
So, for the love of all those eco-friendly, frugalist, wannabes - here’s a list of sites to frequent. Please keep in mind that while frugal does not always equal cheapskate… frugal does not always mean the most eco-friendly choice either. Use your best judgment.

Frugal Homemaker Plus
Frugal Babe
Young and Broke
The Weight of Money
Sorta Frugal
Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood
Stop the Ride
Like Merchant Ships
Savvy Saver
Simply Thrifty
Frugal For Life
Live Frugal
Mighty Bargain Hunter
Kirby on Finance
Educating the Wheelers
Wenchypoo’s Warehouse
Punny Money
Space Between My Peers
The Homespun Heart
All Financial Matters
Motherload-Mom Advice Blog
Pat Veretto’s FL
MotherLoad
Money Matter and More Musings

I was blog surfing yesterday and came across the blog of a woman (EnviroWoman) who has decided to live plastic free for 2007. She has made the commitment to only utilize the plastic that was existent in her life on December 31, 2006. In her blog she details the struggles she has finding things as simple as deodorant, when it seems our whole world is made on plastic. I looked around my office here and thought - there’s no way. No more pain relievers, no more DVDs, no bottled water (which I’d have a problem with because the fluoride in tap water is just as bad), no CFLs!!! But that being said, I can appreciate her efforts, and her drive.

On her site, she links to an article that I think everyone should read. It’s long, so I’ll warn you now. But it’s definitely a worthwhile read.

Like a scene right out of Little Shop of Horrors, botanicals have just made a leap forward on the evolutionary food chain. Well, not really. But with the technology provided by Botanicalls, your very own Audrey II’s can call you when they are thirsty. And even better than your teenager, they’ll also call you to say, “Thank you.”

Check out the video here. And this is hilarious.

Unless you live in the most remote locale, or perhaps had your head in the sands (it’s okay, you can admit it) then you’ve heard about Live Earth. It’s a series of concerts set to go July 7, 2007. Designed to promote awareness to the need for climate change, Live Earth is a 24-hour, 7-continent concert series that will bring together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis. There is a huge list of artists and performers…. Locales that will be hosting concerts: New York, London, Johannesburg, Rio De Janeiro, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, and Hamsburg. Television Networks covering the event:

MAIN NETWORK 8pm-11pm est

BRAVO 9am EST July 7 thru 2:30am EST July 8 UNI HD 4am EST July 7 thru 2am EST July 8 SUNDANCE 4am EST July 7 thru 2am EST July 8

MSNBC throughout the day CNBC 7pm EST July 7 thru 2am EST July 8

TELEMUNDO 7pm to 8pm EST MUN2 5pm to 7pm ES

Radio Stations covering the event:

For more information on this monumental event: Check here.

awareness, live earth, concert, New York, London, Johannesburg, Rio De Janeiro, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Hamsburg, global warming, climate change

I’ve been reading a lot lately about CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs) and how they are better for the environment. Not to mention being better on your pocketbook in the long run. However, several months ago I read an article about the $2,000 cleanup bill from breaking one of those bulbs in your house. I was immediately concerned. Several months back, I had broken a bulb myself, though I had not called the EPA, because I had no idea there was mercury in them at all. And do keep in mind that when I was 12 or so, I broke a thermometer, picked up the mercury with my unshielded hands and dropped it down the sink. (Yeah, let’s don’t talk about the number of dumb things done in that scenario. I don’t ever remember being told in school that mercury was bad. *sigh*)

Either way, I’ve been worried ever since about putting CF bulbs in my house, because I don’t want to break one and poison us all. With a little bit of research done today, I have found that while a CF bulb does contain mercury, the amount of mercury is 4 milligrams, compared to the 500 milligrams present in a thermometer.

The EPA has published documentation on how to dispose of the bulbs. For broken bulbs or accidents, the EPA recommends that

(1) you immediately open windows to reduce mercury concentrations inside your home; (2) you do not touch the spilled mercury; (3) you clean up the broken CFL glass carefully and immediately (but not with your hands or a vacuum cleaner), and (4) you wipe the affected area with a paper towel to remove all glass fragments and mercury.

EPA further recommends that you place the paper towel and glass fragments in a sealed plastic bag and bring the sealed bag to your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Site.
And for unbroken bulbs, they have this to say:

While CFLs for your home are not legally considered hazardous waste according to federal solid waste rules, it is still best for the environment to dispose of your CFL properly upon burnout. Only large commercial users of tubular fluorescent lamps are required to recycle. If recycling is not an option in your area (see below on how to find out), place the CFL in a sealed plastic bag and dispose the same way you would batteries, oil-based paint and motor oil at your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Site. If your local HHW Collection Site cannot accept CFLs (check Earth911.org to find out), seal the CFL in a plastic bag and place with your regular trash.

Additionally, if you have an IKEA near you, you can recycle your CFLs there.

CFL, compact fluorescent, mercury, lightbulbs

Just a couple of days ago Greenline Industries announced the commissioning of their latest 3 million gallon a year biodiesel production facility in Harlingen, Texas. The facility will provide ASTM quality biodiesel created from locally grown cottonseeds and vegetable oils. Their waterless process also means that water treatment facilities won’t be need downstream from the facility to clean up the mess!

Source: Greenline Industries

Texas, biodiesel, cottonseed, Greenline Industries, Valco Bioenergy

I found this really neat site today. RecycleYourJeans.com. Published by Softwalker Ltd, one of a very small handful of shoemaking companies still manufacturing in the UK, it’s a shoe company that takes your own personal bluejeans and recycles them into the uppers for some really nifty shoes. Currently, they are only making womens shoes (sorry guys!) but they are promising to have mens versions shortly.

Not entirely green, the Kalahari sandal consist of polyurethane for the soles, metal buckles, sewing thread and woven labels. Additionally, for those of us in the US, having a pair shipped would being increasing our carbon footprint… so let’s cross our fingers for a US distributor.

Of course, I have a question about all of this… I’m not a super skinny supermodel or anything. I’m a real woman and I wear real sized clothes. What happens to the extra/left over material? If I’m already using my jeans and recycling them for … or even …. . Can I send in only the amount they need? Maybe the left over material goes into the bin for their ‘off the rack’ pairs? Maybe I’ll ask.

recycling, blue jeans, shoes