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

Something that would make me laugh if I were not one of the millions of guinea pigs in the experimentation is how so many items that we use in our day-to-day lives are presented as safe until years later new research proves quite the contrary.

One thing I do not understand is how the government agencies that are in charge of protecting the public seem to overlook proper and long-term testing of certain chemical compounds. Everyday it seems that there is a new chemical that is starting to show it’s true dangerous nature, and this week, Bisphenol-A, has made the news. Unfortunately, despite new and growing evidence that plastic #7 can be detrimental to your health, the Food and Drug Administration has decided to wait until more proof of possible danger before the agency will ban the chemical or even limit it’s use.

Here’s the thing. The FDA says that the bisphenol-A present in many of the plastics marked #7 and in the plastic lining of cans is in such low amounts that it cannot harm us. Huh. You would think that any amount of potential harm would throw up a red flag as if the research cannot determine the health risk, how can the same research prove what a safe level is?

Last year, I did a little research on Proctor and Gamble’s environmental and health record. It seems that P&G had been under fire for nail polish that contains dibutyl phthalate. P&G claimed that it only used the phthalates in low enough levels that posed no human harm. Besides, phthalates don’t bioaccumulate so you simply pass them in your urine. I know that should ease my mind, but it just doesn’t.

And the same thing is going on with bisphenol-A.

Here’s a breakdown of the bisphenol-A (BPA) debate going on right now. New research shows a connection between BPA and such maladies as heart disease and diabetes. Granted, our society has high occurrences of both diseases in our general population, but another study showed that BPA can affect a hormone that protects humans from diabetes.

My opinion usually runs along the lines of better safe than sorry. BPA is widely used in those re-usable water bottles as well as bottles used to feed babies. Also, BPA is used in the lining of aluminum cans for soda, and even other canned goods. Many manufacturers of baby products are starting to phase out BPA. Start phasing out the use of BPA in your own life, just to be sure. In case years from now, the FDA does finally find conclusive proof that BPA is dangerous at any level.

Graph: BPA is at unsafe levels in one of every 10 servings of canned foods (11%) and one of every 3 cans of infant formula (33%)
(Courtesy of Environmental Working Group)

Ways to avoid BPA (condensed from a US News article):

A word from the Environmental Working Group.

Nestlé, makers of Good Start and Mam brands, repeatedly told EWG researchers that its powdered formula cans contain no BPA. Nestlé’s emails to parents repeat this claim, but the company has failed to document this in writing or provide information on their alternative to EWG, despite our numerous requests to the company. In any case, EWG cannot recommend Nestlé baby formula due to the company’s long history of ethically suspect infant formula marketing practices in the developing world. Nestlé’s claim that it uses BPA-free packaging, if true, would be welcome news, because it suggests that other manufacturers could switch to safer packaging materials and reduce babies’ BPA exposures.

Powdered formula sold by Enfamil and Similac are reduced-risk choices, because only the metal tops and bottoms of their packages – not the cardboard sides – are metal and lined with BPA-based plastic. Earth’s Best Organic and PBM (which make dozens of store brands) are more of a concern: they are sold in an entirely metal can, which means the formula has more contact with a BPA-coated surface.

bisphenol-A, BPA, plastic, #7, baby bottles, baby formula, canned goods, health, heart disease, diabetes, FDA, hormone, Environmental Working Group, Nestle, Enfamil, Similac, Earth’s best Organic

It is that time of year when the little kiddies are sent off to school, and that means that parents are buying the usual pencils, paper, crayons, markers, rulers, etc. But are you aware of where some of those supplies come from companies with very different ways of looking at the world? Let’s look at pencils today.

What a better way to discuss a renewable resource like wood with kids than by teaching them about something so ubiquitous as that ol’ number 2? First of all, what kind of wood is used in pencils, and where does that wood come from? Forest Ethics has just released a report card for pencil companies, and which pencil you purchase can make a difference.

Most pencils are made from soft woods such as cedar, and a large amount of cedar is found on the West Coast of the US. Some pencil companies are definitely ahead of the curve when it comes to working with sustainably harvested wood to make their pencils. Two good choices for pencils are ForestChoice, from CalCedar, and Greenline Paper Company’s Eco-Writer. ForestChoice uses Incense-Cedar from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests, which has ten principles and fifty-six criteria for determining the environmental impact of the wood harvested from certain forests. The Eco-Writer pencil is made from recycled materials, and attempts to avoid using wood at all.

Some pencils to avoid for being less envir-aware are the Green Apple line of pencils from Red Apple School Supplies. Though the Green Apple’s are made from recycled cedar, it is not clear where that cedar is coming from in the first place. Also, the pencils are made in Japan, so the shipping involved may undermine whatever benefits the pencil offers. Another less-than-awesome choice is Papermate’s Earthwrite pencil line. True, the Earthwrite’s are made from recycled or reclaimed wood, but that wood may be coming from forests that are clear-cut out of the Sierra Nevada, which are under threat. Although Earthwrite does use some FSC-certified wood, it is not clear if all the wood is sustainably-harvested.

A couple of companies to avoid altogether include the pencil giant, Dixon/Ticonderoga. This company did at one time offer pencils made with FSC wood, but no longer. I say we start emailing them and bugging them to make this a priority, or simply stop buying the D/T pencils and maybe they will get the message. Another “evil-doing” (Sorry, I watched Bowling For Columbine last night, and George Bush’s favorite term is my new fav, too) company is USA Gold. I just checked out the Mega Brands website (the USA Gold parent company), and it lists the USA Gold pencil as “are made from sustained yield cedar.” However, ForestEthics gives USA Gold an “F” for using wood from Sierra Pacific Industries, which ForestEthics calls out for using wood from non FSC-certified forests.

In all fairness, I did pop by Sierra Pacific Industries website to see how they deal with the whole sustainable forests issue. SPI says that it is a voluntary partner in the Sustainable Forest Initiative, which they say is similar to FSC. If you want to read a bit more about this he said, she said bullsh*t, you can read this San Francisco Chronicle article from earlier this year. It does seem that there is some debate as to what constitutes sustainable forestry. Perhaps I will revisit this another day.

ForestEthics, sustainable forestry, pencils, back to school shopping, ForestChoice, CalCedar, Greenline Paper Company, Eco-writer, Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, Green Apple, Red Apple School Supplies, Papermate, Earthwrite, Sierra Nevada, Dixon/Ticonderoga, USA Gold, Mega Brands, Sustainable Forest Initiative, SFI, Sierra Pacific Industries, SPI

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

I know I posted about it several weeks back, but I wanted to provide an update. I got the Jimi wallet this morning in the post. It came in a small bubble-lite envelope made of 100% recycled paper (25% PCR - post consumer?) It is teal. It came with a small operator’s manual stuck inside. Filled with witty quips, it seems really more for laughs than for instruction. And if you were able to open the Jimi in the first place, I doubt you really need the instructions. But they are quite novel.

My initial thoughts on it are that it might not hold enough credit cards for the average user. It will only hold 5 - 4 in the credit card slot and 1 in the money clip. The manual says it can hold 3 folded bills, so while I don’t typically carry money, I might fit a couple more cards there. We’ll see.

It’s my post to test it out for a minimum of two weeks, then provide feedback. I’m think after that I should use it 2 more weeks then provide my final assessment (or make any modifications to my original assessment.)

Okay… but I don’t get it.

It’s a bag. It doesn’t do the laundry or mow the lawn. It doesn’t put cream cheese on my bagel. It’s a bag. Just a plain, old, ordinary bag.

A bag so insecure about its place in the bag hierarchy that it feels the need to proclaim, “I’m not a plastic bag.” Well duh.

I mean, am I missing something here? I mean they sold out in 29 minutes in NYC. Who cares if Keira Knightly was last seen carrying one? It’s a bag, folks! If your friend jumped off the Empire State Building, would you?

You would? Oh, well then, nevermind.

I’m not a plastic bag, keira knightly, Anya, plastic, bag

You remember the jingle, right? Transformers! More than meets the eye! Well that’s exactly what I heard in my head when I first saw the unique products available over at nobodyandco. The Piccolo table and bench were the first items I was exposed to from their product line. The interesting thing about these two items is that since they are constructed of single slats of wood, when you tug on them, the furniture lengthens making a longer table and a longer bench. Now there’s room for everyone at the picnic table.

Of course, if you look around their site a bit more, you’ll find La Bibliochaise (my favorite) which is a chair whose exterior is a book case, as well as the Piola. And while it make not be the most efficient use of space, it is by far the most unusual bookcase I’ve ever seen.

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.

And of course, I meant, don’t put that in the recycling bin just yet. Not because I need to water the plants, or lug a gallon of water anywhere (which seems to be all that mine get reused for). I want to make a lamp out of it.

“A lamp, you say? How’s that?”

“Well, I found this really neat kit that I can buy online that will let me turn that milk jug into a festival lamp. Its a Milkit.”

That incredulous look I know so well….

“I’m serious. That’s its name!”

“A lamp?” You look at me skeptically.

“Okay, a party light! We can use it at the luau next month.” I say as I quickly leave the room.

“What luau?”

(No really… I think they are cute.)

Well, maybe you can Jimi me if you want.

I was contacted by Mike O’Neill, Owner/Designer at Mr. Smith Inc. He has graciously offered to send me one of his new Jimi wallets. They are slim-line and 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, which while it isn’t necessarily the greenest option out there, at least it keeps some plastic from hitting the landfills.

I personally, am well acquainted with the minimalistic wallet. I’ve been using a metal cigarette holder for years now. Its been longer lasting than any wallet I’ve ever owned, and it has the added benefit of fitting into even the tightest pair of jeans. I’m looking forward to giving this new product a whirl.

Stay tuned and I’ll let you know what I think. In the mean time, do check them out.

• Made Sweat Shop Free • 100% recycled plastic • 1% of sales invested in the environment •

recycled plastic, wallet, minimalist, jimi, fortheplanent.org

So I was thinking about how much time I’m spent looking for and thinking about recycled bags and purses. It really never occurred to me to think about a much smaller, but more often than not more important component of many bags and purses out there - the wallet. So here is a list of some of the recycled wallets I could find. As always, this is a “list in progress”. Should you find some that I have missed, please let me know.

Manufactured:

• Made of recycled vinyl (albums/records)
• Recycled vinyl (not records/albums)
• Recycled rice and feed bags additional images here
• Recycled innertubes

DIY:

• Made of milk (or OJ) cartons

A couple of weeks ago I posted about CFLs and how I found out that they were the huge mercury risk that I’d read that they were. Since then, I’ve been replacing my burned out incandescents with CFLs. Of course, I’ve been having some difficulties finding the appropriate wattage, but that’s a story for another day. In my kitchen, I’ve got one of those typical box lights housing two florescent bulbs. One of these bulbs has been burned out since we bought the house almost 2 years ago. I’ve not replaced it because: 1) I don’t like that much light, 2) I think the bulbs are expensive, 3) I’m not 100% sure what size and color I need.

I’ve been reading about people who are retrofitting their homes with LED lighting and even a grocery store with all LED lights. But the money I’d spend in trying to replace all my fixtures is a bit more than I’m willing to stomach. I stumbled upon a possible option today. EverLED is now making a tube light replacement that will fit in a typical fluorescent ballast. It uses less energy than atypical fluorescent and doesn’t contain the harmful chemicals. Their lifespan is about 10 years, which is 3-5 years longer than the average CFL. The only draw back is it’s $150 price tag. =(

OK folks. Here it is, my first installment in the DIY category. I know you’ve been waiting with baited breath. =P

So I went to the the local Home Depot this weekend, as is my habit lately. I needed a piece of sheet rock to patch the ceiling where my man fell through it. Of course, I did not bring my own tie-downs, so I grabbed some of the thin tie-down material they had. I believe it’s nothing more than 20 or so fishing line filaments. Either way, when I got home, I was loath to just throw it away. Instead I put it on my Knifty Knitter loom and created a Recycled Tie-down Kitchen Scrubbie. I uploaded it to my personal site, but I think it’s worth mentioning here too.

Okay, so keeping in line with my quest for recycled bags of late, I’ve decided to start putting together a list of all the really cool recycled bags and bag patterns I can find. I’m sure my list will not be exhaustive. But it’s really a place where I can keep track of all the interesting ideas I find in my searches. Maybe you’ll find some use in it too. In no particular order….

Purchasable Bags:

• Passchal - made from truck tire innertubes.
• Alchemy Goods - bicycle innertubes.
• Used Rubber - innertubes.
• Flat Bags - made from dead car seat vinyl and the like.
• Freitag - made from truck tarps, seatbelts, innertube, and airbags.
• Little Earth - license plates.
• Green Guru Gear - (Thanks Davidson) inner tubes, billboards, hemp, climbing ropes.
• Ecologic Designs - (Thanks Davidson) Billboard, blowout, hemp and alternative materials design series.

Any really good ones that you know of that I have missed? Let me know!!!

Okay, so I’ve got what appears to be a cat litter dilemma. I have 3 cats and have been using clumping clay litters for years. I’ve been aware of the potential issues with using clay litters. There’s Silicosis. Silica dust is mined from the earth and used to make products that absorb moisture. The silica dust is most noticeable when the cat covers waste in the litter box or when the product is poured into the litter pan. The inhalation of these silica particles has been linked to lung cancer, bronchitis and tuberculosis. Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust containing extremely fine particles of crystalline silica. Silicosis only develops after prolonged exposure to crystalline silica. The odds of developing the disease from exposure to clay cat litter are therefore highly unlikely. But there are concerns about possibilities of clay being ingested through daily cleaning, as well as the possibility of issues to my dogs if, on the off chance, they happen to eat the litter (yes, I know it’s gross, but they *are* dogs.)

So in some of my research (which I’m having difficulties finding now) I had read how benonite clay and clumping litters are bad for the environment. There are several alternatives out there that seem reasonable enough to try: SwheatScoop Wheat Litter,World’s Best Cat Litter and Pura. Unfortunately, some don’t seem to be available in the US: Ami Sand, Tact and Catolet are brands I’ve never seen around here. Franny over at About.com gives a breakdown of some of the most popular with pros and cons.

So, here’s the question… have any of you tried these litters? Does anyone out there know why the clay (when mined from the earth) would be harmful when put back? Let me know your thoughts.