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Officials urging new TV buyers to not junk their analog sets
Earlier this week we discussed the pros and cons of picking up a new digital tuner-equipped TV or simply throwing a DTV converter onto the analog set you already own. Needless to say, quite a few individuals across America will be choosing the former option, which creates quite the issue: where are all of those old sets going to go? Early on, surveys showed that people were most likely to resell it, donate it or recycle it, but we all know how easy it is to utter the politically correct response when under the microscope. In reality, there's a great chance that a large quantity of analog TVs will end up in the dump, and officials are making an eleventh hour push to encourage individuals to recycle their screen rather than clog up a nearby landfill. Given that we live here too, we'd also like to encourage the act of recycling if you're planning on ditching the old for something new -- wouldn't want the DTV conversion to be the start of the Apocalypse or something.
Sony joins the bandwagon, declares death to annoying clamshell packaging
Had we known that eliminating those frustrating, potentially dangerous hard clamshell packages would simply take a nudge, we would've picketed for action years ago. Shortly after Amazon took and stand and announced its own initiative to cut back on wasteful, hard-to-open packaging, Sony has confirmed earlier reports that it will indeed be working towards something better. On a recent post to the outfit's blog, the company noted that it should "have a new alternative to announce soon." No need to reinvent the wheel, Sony -- the hard work has already been done. Check the totally corny vid promoting the change after the break.
Like lambs to the slaughterhouse: Nokia 6010, Motorola RAZR nab most-recycled titles
While it's cool that owners of the venerable Nokia 6010 and Motorola RAZR are forward-thinking enough to be recycling their unwanted, ancient handsets en masse, we've actually got a question for Nokia and Moto here: is this a title you're proud of? Seems like a double-edged sword since your models are getting tossed by the thousands, but hey, at least they're being tossed in an ethical way. Phone recycling firm ReCellular reports that the 6010 and the V3 (along with LG's VX4500) are the most commonly-recycled handsets of the moment -- pretty amazing when you think that the original RAZR was $500 on contract when it first launched, and now it's getting scrapped for traces of precious metal. How the mighty have fallen, eh?
Sony's Green Glove recycling service hauls away your old TV when buying a BRAVIA
Apparently launching its Take Back Recycling Program just wasn't enough for Sony Electronics, who has now announced a Green Glove delivery service for those looking to have a new 32-inch (or greater) BRAVIA HDTV delivered. At its core, the service provides in-home delivery and setup of one's new HDTV, and the same kind folks who show up to handle that also haul away your old set for recycling. Or to sell it on eBay, you never know.[Via I4U News, image courtesy of CtrlAltDel-Online]
Video: China's wasteland of toxic consumer electronics revealed
Any self-respecting gadget hound knows that China is responsible for packing millions of shipping containers with the consumer electronics we crave. What you may not know is what we ship in return: our waste for recycling. Of growing concern is e-waste, resulting from the deluge of PCs, cellphones, televisions and crapgadgets we churn through at an accelerating clip each year. While domestic recycling programs are good-intentioned, often the most toxic of our e-waste is shipped illegally back to China and boiled down for its precious metals under some of the most crude conditions you can imagine. When faced with the choice of familial poverty or the slow accumulation of poison in their bloodstream (for $8 per day), it's not hard to imagine what many rural Chinese people will choose. So while we give Greenpeace's self-congratulatory promotions and oft-subjective "Guide to Greener Electronics" company ratings the occasional hard time, their attempts to raise e-waste awareness are commendable. Now go ahead, check the video from 60 Minutes' intrepid reporters after the break and let the guilt wash over you. Update: As noted by reader Jason, a more thorough (and disturbing) exploration of these e-waste dumps can be found in a Current TV video shot last year in the same region.
Recycled newsprint USB flash drive for the eco-minded geek
If you're anything like us, you probably cringe every time a new USB flash drive is announced, but then the guilty pleasure takes over and you just have to look anyway. At first glance the "Recycle" from INF Import isn't much to look at, but then we figured that's kind of the point. After all, what better way to hide all your most precious and/or illicit data than in a totally bland enclosure that looks like something that chipped off your wall in the last earthquake? -- which isn't far off seeing as how it's composed of recycled newspaper. Oddly enough no storage capacity is mentioned, so lets hope your stack of worldly secrets doesn't run too large, or you may have to tile your walls with these babies.Update: The INF site has now been updated to include the storage capacity: 512MB - 16GB.
Samsung launches free Recycling Direct program for consumers
Hopefully by now you know that the gadget in your pocket or notebook on your lap is full of toxic ooze seeping into your fingers with every tap. This has retailers and manufacturers scrambling to help you recycle those wares, the latest being Samsung with its new Recycling Direct plan. It expands on the company's trio of limited recycling programs that cover only mobile phones, toner, and office equipment. The new program will accept any obsolete or broken product free of charge -- assuming it has a "Samsung" label somewhere on it. (You can recycle other stuff too for a fee.) Partnerships are currently being negotiated with "respected" facilities in all 50 states, meaning you'll be able can lay your old celly or washing machine to rest in person starting next month.[Via Crave]
VenJuvo's Trade4Cause sends old console's value to charity
We're starting to head into the holiday season, which means our collective capitalist guilt tells us it's time to start thinking about the less fortunate for five seconds as we spend $4 on a Frappuccino. Electronics trade-in site VenJuvo.com is now offering its Trade4Cause program. The program appears to be fairly painless: Pick your console from the list (we did the PS2), get a quote on its value ($35), choose the charity from the dropdown menu to receive the donation, print the shipping label, pack and send. The company tests the product once it's received and donates the payment on your behalf to the charity.Another nice touch is that if the charity you're looking for isn't on the company's list, there's also the option of filling in the organization's information. Obviously, we're big fans of Child's Play, but there are plenty of other worthwhile gamer-centric causes out there. VenJuvo also has a no-cost recycling program for products that qualify, just in case you're looking to be charitable to our little planet this holiday.
Renew your old iPhone with Flipswap
Yesterday, we asked iPhone owners who intend to upgrade just what they'll do with their 1st generation iPhones. Thousands of you answered, with Ebay drawing the top score.Of course, Ebay will be flooded with iPhones soon, so consider alternatives like Flipswap. They offer cash for iPhones (and other model phones) and even pay for shipping. Once they've gotten your phone, they put it back in use.If you're the environmentally consicous type, you'll appreciate this. Phones that cannot be put back into use are disposed of, piece by piece, in "...the greenest methods available today." Also, in lieu of cash, you can trade in your dead phone for a tree as part of their reLeaf Program. Flipswaps estimates they'll plant up to 25,000 trees this year (they take old iPods, too!). It's free, easy and definitely worth the consideration. [Via Lifehacker]
TUAW Poll: What are you doing with your original iPhone?
After looking over the iPhone 3G information here on TUAW and on the AT&T website yesterday, I started thinking about what my wife and I should do with our "old" original iPhones. Without a SIM and phone service, the original iPhone essentially becomes an iPod touch. You can still update it to the new software when it arrives, you can use it with Wi-Fi in your home, and you can use it to watch video and listen to tunes. By keeping the old iPhone as an iPhone touch, I can get rid of some of the old iPods I have scattered around the house. What are you going to do with your iPhone after July 11th? %Poll-16287%
Beacon Power hopes to juggle electricity more efficiently
Bay State startup Beacon Power isn't just another wind / solar / hydroelectric outfit. Oh no, this firm is more concerned with reducing the emissions from the energy plants we already have in place. Put simply, the company's 2,800-pound flywheels are used to store and output energy when needed, a service Beacon's CEO is dubbing "frequency regulation." Essentially, said devices will "match power supply to the grid with power demand from the grid," which curbs energy waste and keeps loads in perfect balance. As it stands, the only disclosed expansion plans include more of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, but if it can rope in enough customers, we reckon the sky's the limit. Video after the jump.[Thanks, John]
Survey shows consumers aren't apt to trash analog sets post-cutover
Granted, almost half of OTA-only households in America (48-percent, to be precise) are planning on picking up a digital converter box in order to get a few more years of life out of their old set, but for those taking other routes -- like spending their stimulus checks on a new flat-panel -- it seems as if tossing 'em in the garbage is a last resort. According to new research from the Consumer Electronics Association, fewer than 15 million NTSC-only TVs will be removed from homes through 2010. Of those, 95-percent will be resold, donated or recycled -- or so the owners say. We can also remember a time when Salvation Army accepted bulky, inefficient CRT computer monitors with open arms, but trying to hand one over today can be a lesson in futility depending on the store. All in all, we figure it's easy for respondents to voice good intentions, but shortly after these sets become useless in the OTA realm without a DTV converter, we have our doubts about the vast majority of them dodging the dump for very long.
Nokia's "Remade" concept is all waste -- no, seriously
Nokia's been putting quite a focus on contributing to a greener, healthier world as of late -- still running off the high of winning Greenpeace's praise, perhaps -- and its latest concept, unveiled at MWC, takes the commitment to an extreme. The "Remade" phone is exactly that: a handset made entirely of recycled stuff. The case and keypad are fashioned from tossed cans, for example, and apparently, even the electrical components (never mind that the Remade can't actually place a call in its current incarnation) are entirely reused. No plans have been revealed to produce the Remade or anything quite like it, but the way Nokia's going -- and the way we're throwing away tin cans -- we wouldn't be surprised if it happened down the road.
Bird-Electron EZ17-B iPod Recycling Speaker
I like the planet as much as the next guy (unless I'm standing next to the commander of an alien force bent on destroying the Earth, in which case I like the planet much more than the next guy), and since Apple is trying to be more environmentally friendly I figured I might as well give it a go myself. The Bird-Electron EZ17-B iPod Recycling Speaker looks like it might help me achieve two goals: help the planet, and own more gadgets.The Bird-Electron EZ17-B allows you to both reduce and reuse all at the same time, even while you try to figure out what its name means. That's right, this little $40 wonder magically transforms the package your Shuffle (2nd or 3rd gen) or Nano (1st or 2nd Gen) was contained in into a small speaker. Chances are that this little speaker isn't going to blow your mind in terms of volume or fidelity, but it will make you feel just a tad bit better than your fellow man and when it comes right down to it isn't that why we all use Apple products to begin with?[via One Digital Life]
Reminder, 10% off new iPods with trade-in
If you're shopping for a new iPod this week, Daniel Jalkut at Red Sweater reminded us that you can get a 10% discount on a new iPod any day at your local Apple Store if you do one simple thing: bring in an old iPod to trade in. The program's been around since 2005, but it's always worth another mention.There are plenty of other options for recycling an old iPod, including some that will give you credit -- check them out. Rumor has it that some retail outlets are discounting iPods as well...
Recycl-o-sort: not a part of foreplay, but still very important
Even casual fans of Jemaine Clement could appreciate the Recycl-o-sort -- after all, it's hard to deny the vitalness of sorting out the recycling. In that spirit, a team of MIT students concocted a prototype that automatically sifts through recyclables and deposits them into the appropriate bin depending on makeup. The sun-powered device is currently being tested in Boston's Codman Square area as part of Family, Inc.'s recycling awareness campaign, and it reportedly uses a "turntable" to pass each item through a trio of sensors to determine whether it's aluminum, plastic, glass or just plain rubbish. Call us crazy, but this whole thing just brings back memories of that team building exercise we did back in '99.[Via Core77]
IBM develops greener method for recycling silicon
IBM is looking to save around $1.5 million per year and be a kinder citizen to the environment by instituting a greener method for recycling silicon. Previously, IBM would sandblast defunct wafers to make sure no trade secrets left the premises when they were sold off to solar-panel outfits or used as "monitors." The new process, however, involves defacing the circuitry with an abrasive pad and water, which saves a few bills and leaves the silicon in much better shape for reuse. Reportedly, Big Blue has already implemented the new approach in its Essex Junction, Vermont facility, and the East Fishkill, New York plant is all set to follow suit shortly.
How to safely dispose of an old Mac
The fun of technology is how quickly improved products are released. The downside is the same. So-called "E-Waste" is a huge problem. Before leaving that old Mac at the dump, consider these alternatives: Sell it. A couple of years ago, we wrote a very thorough how-to on selling an old Mac. You probably won't make a ton of money, but you will keep it out of the landfill. Apple's Recycling Program. Purchase a new computer from Apple and they'll accept your old computer, CRT or peripherals (from any manufacturer) into their recycling program. Simply pack up your old stuff (computers and monitors must be packed separately), bring it to a FedEx drop off point and away it goes. This offer applies to individuals and small businesses. Large corporations may participate in Apple Corporate Recycling. Freecycle. If you're unfamiliar with Freecycle, it's a way to give away items to those who need them (or, find something you'd like yourself). It reduces waste and the depletion of natural resources. Part it out. Even a "dead" computer has some good parts on it. Better yet, there are many people who just need that obscure part from your beige G3 All In One. Consider the Low End Mac Swap List when parting out a machine. Donate to a church or school. You might be sick of that Quadra, but kids will love it. Churches and other small organizations could use it for simple bulletins, etc. Heck, my daughter's preschool has an original Macintosh in the office that, according to the school secretary, still gets used. These are just a few alternatives to adding to the ever-growing pile of E-Waste. We hope you found it useful.
Sony offers free recycling for their products
Sony announced today that 75 recycling stations around the country will accept Sony products for free. So if your PS2 finally succumbs to "disc read error" and you're moving on to the PS3, you can give your beloved console a second life somewhere else. Sony's program is better than electronics giants like Apple, Dell and Hewlett-Packard's programs because Sony partnered with trash company Waste Management Inc. which has recycle drop off centers. With those other companies you'll have to mail the item back to company -- and if you're anything like us, you probably haven't seen the inside of a post office since Daddy Bush's administration.The bad news is that the 75 stations are currently unevenly distributed across the country, with 17 in California, 19 in Minnesota, 1 in New York and none in 32 states. But hey, wait now, that's not Sony's fault. They plan to double the number of centers in a year and ultimately have a center "within 20 miles of 95 percent of the US population." Sony is just full of good PR fluff today -- oh, and don't forget, once you've got a PS3 you can help cure cancer.
Lil' Nick Neg recycles old PCs for those in need
He may not yet have the resources to build his own PCs and sell them on the cheap, but 15-year old Jacob Komar looks like he could well be a young Nick Neg in the making. As ABC News reports, Komar has already prevented some 1,500 PCs from ending up on the scrap heap since starting his "Computers for Communities" organization in 2001, with him performing all the necessary repairs and finding new homes for them among those in need. Now all he needs is a rivalry with another, bigger company trying to muscle in on his territory, to be followed by the inevitable announcement that the two have made up and will now be working together.[Via The Inquirer, photo courtesy of ABC News]
