Image source: treehugger.com

Innovative as always, Dell has put up a series of solar trees in the parking area of its headquarters in Round Rock, Texas. The project covers 56 parking spots and is estimated to generate 130,000 kW/h annually. The solar trees are designed to give shade to parked cars and at the same time provide power to hybrid vehicles through its charging outlets.

This parking lot revamp is an example of simple yet multi-functional designs other corporate companies can emulate. Read the full article here

By Maria Belgado

OLPCorp’s XO (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

Dell has recently banned the export of e-waste to developing countries. Apple successfully markets itself as an eco conscious computer company and its new MacBook seems to be living up to that image. Processor kingpin Sun Microsystems also joined the foray into Green computing and was receiving praise for its efforts way back in 2007. Surely, all this competition to be the Greenest is a good thing, but aside from self-praise and environmental image makeovers, which companies are actually delivering the goods on eco pledges? And moreover, which gadgets are Greenest?

According to a poll by Green Factor, which ran in the ecological daily trade publication Environmental Leader on November 30^th, 2008, consumers think that it’s Dell, with Apple running a close second. But this only shows perceived environmental consciousness, a “Green brand identity” so to speak. But what does the real hard data on eco friendly business practices in the electronics industry say? July 2009’s Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics puts Finish telecom giant Nokia on top, with Samsung and Sony Ericsson in 2^nd and 3^rd place, respectively. Greenpeace judges the companies on the basis of three main criteria: the elimination of hazardous substances from their products, responsible take-back and recycling programs, and the climate impact reduction on their products and operations. Apple, by comparison, trails Nokia at number 11, with Dell at 13 with Microsoft coming in at 15^th place. Greenpeace updates their guide every three months.

The world’s Greenest laptop?

Energy Seal (Image source: poweredgreen.com)

According to Apple it’s their new MacBook. Not so according to EPEAT (the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) and the Green design website inhabitat. While the MacBook is very good environmentally speaking and represents a positive direction for Apple, together with Environmental Performance reports for their products, it simply is not the “Greenest” laptop out there. EPEAT gives that distinction to the Toshiba Portégé R500, which has a solar charger. Greenpeace’s survey of 2008 notebooks similarly put the Toshiba Portégé R600 at the top. Also high on the 2008 list are Hewlett Packard’s Elitebook 2530p, Lenovo’s X300 and the Dell Latitude E-4200. Green desktops are headed up by the Lenovo ThinkCentre 58/M58p, Fujitsu Siemens’ Esprimo E7935 E-Star 4 and Dell’s Studio Hybrid. Apple products are nowhere on either list.

It may be poor kids in the developing world who actually have access to the most environmentally friendly laptop. The XO by OLPCorps “contains no hazardous materials,” has an optional hand crank to charge the battery, and an “estimated product lifetime of at least 5 years.” The XO is unfortunately not available to consumers. Some kids get all the breaks.

One way to “make” your laptop Greener is by buying a Powered Green Energy Seal. It’s not really a magic seal that zaps your computer’s carbon imprint ­– that would be ridiculous. What it does, rather, is sell you a sticker for $16 and use that money to fund renewable energy sources. You can then prance around Starbucks with a nifty “Powered Green” labeled laptop and a self-satisfied expression on your already fierce eco warrior face. Smug? Maybe, but a good idea for offsetting your oversized carbon footprint nonetheless.

By Graham Land

Additional resources:
Inhabitat article IS IT GREEN: The New MacBook
One Laptop per Child project