Earlier this year, Greenpeace came out with the guide to greener electronics and they heralded the best phone manufacturers in terms of who has the greenest manufacturing processes. Nokia and Sony Ericsson took top spots on that release and they have been constantly pushing towards a greener future for mobile phones.
Now, mobile network operator O2 has announced their own list of phones and phone makers in order to get people to see which devices are best for the environment and of course, for people to start supporting the greener phones. Unsurprisingly, many phone makers signed up on O2’s ranking list so that consumers may be able to see the ecological impact of various handsets and for everyone to see why phone recycling is an important practice.
Among the companies that signed up, Nokia and Sony Ericsson are not surprising members, but seeing LG and Samsung be part of the system is quite promising, after all, their performance has dropped and Greenpeace has been encouraging these companies to get greener.
Naturally, the Sony Ericsson Elm handset is taking the top spot in O2’s list. The Greenheart line of mobile phones from Sony Ericsson make use of over 50% recycled plastic, minimal packaging, use of digital encoding over print material, no hazardous chemicals and even water borne paint.
It must also be noted that Apple has opted to not be part of the list. According to reports, the company is keeping quiet as to the reasons why they are not allowing themselves to be ranked in the scheme, though Apple spokespersons have referred to the company’s internal policies regarding their environmental responsibilities.
Earth friendly folks are naturally unconvinced. If Apple has nothing to be ashamed of, why do they choose to be exempted from what is the UK’s first ever green ranking scheme (despite the fact that it is being run by a private company)?
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