Can you take a guess as to which cell phone is the greenest? Where many tech geeks only seem to care how ‘cool’ their cell phone looks when they pull it out at some hipster gathering, global companies are working on refining their environmental impact (whether for altruistic or economic reasons).
According to a recent study by GoodGuide, where nearly 500 phones were tested, several well known companies came up on top – though one was notably missing (here’s looking at you, Apple).
Nokia C6
Nokia already has a longstanding reputation for positive labor practices and social consciousness, and it only helped to bolster the rating of the eco-friendly C6 series. This GSM phone is energy efficient, free of toxic materials (like PVC and BFR) and comes off an assembly line that reduces waste and limits employee exploitation. The C6 earned a perfect 10 technical score and an impressive 7.7 aggregate score. OK, it runs the much derided Symbian OS – but hey, no one’s perfect. Nokia C6
Samsung Blue Earth
To Apple, Samsung is just a bunch of design thieves. To the planet, it is a major electronics company that is thinking ahead towards implementing better environmental practices. Their Blue Earth phone not only utilizes ‘green’ and recycled materials, but also offers innovative features such as solar panels. The phone received a score of 10, and an aggregate score of 7.1 because the company still has some work to do regarding its manufacturing practices. But we are certainly listening. Samsung Blue Earth
Sony Ericsson Xperia X8
Sony Ericsson’s GreenHeart line of products is touted for its eco-friendly approach. Using recycled plastic and waterborne paints, this is a PVC and BFR–free phone that turns out to be quite a stylish and functional – and as usual, very well built – product. While the phone is a 10, unfortunately the company’s social practices don’t measure up as high, dropping the overall score to a still respectable 6.6. Sony Ericsson Xperia 8
Palm Pixi
It’s hard not to look at Palm and wonder what went wrong. For years, their products were innovative, attractive and useful, yet lost traction with consumers. We’re not sure if the Pixi will do the trick to bring the brand back – and it’s actually not a high scoring phone green-wise (5.6) – but Palm’s environmental and social governance have been top notch over the years, actually bringing up the overall score of the Pixi to a 6.6. Palm Pixi
Motorola Citrus
The Motorola name is synonymous with mobile phones, though we haven’t seen them as a leader in quite some time. But their Citrus phone is a great example of an eco-friendly phone, merging recycled materials with a pleasant form factor. The phone scored a 7.5, but the company’s overall environmental practices brought the combined score down to a 6.5. But it’s good to see them on the list. Motorola Citrus
If you look at the full list, you may be astonished to see that the top 26 phones on the list are by Nokia (this list above just showed you the top 5 manufacturers). For all of you who are wondering, Apple only scored a 5.7. And a message to RIM – shame on you and your 3.3 score. But will this really affect your choice in phones? If you choose to debate about this research, feel free to air your opinions in our comments section!
View Comments
Loading ...
