The United States Postal Service (USPS) reports that mail volume declined by 28 billion pieces in FY2009, following a drop of 9 billion piece in FY2008. While economic conditions play a roll, I suspect they are largely accelerating the inevitable dematrialization* of mail . An economic recovery is unlikely to mark a return to FY2007 volumes.

Intel, Dell, and Cisco are the only ICT companies in the top 20 of the 60 Fortune 500 companies participating in the 2009 EPA Green Power Partnership program. Compare this with Newsweek's Green Rankings 2009, in which tech dominated all of the Fortune 500 by capturing 11 of the top 20 positions.

Apple launched the iPad claiming it is is free of arsenic, BFR (Brominated Flame Retardants), mercury, and PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). Greenpeace recently recognized Apple as the consumer electronics company that has done the most to eliminate harmful chemicals from its products. Greenpeace has posted the case against using BFR and PVC in e-devices.

The "Environmental Status Report" on the lower left of the iPad tech specs page touts its "recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure", but the iPad is not yet included in the "Apple Recycling Program". Presumably, there will not be a pressing need to recycle iPads for a while. It's another story if irrational exuberance in iPad consumption accelerates the disposal of older devices.

Apple has not issued a "Product Environmental Report" for the iPad as it has for other products.

The EPEAT registration system for IT products is largely used for enterprise purchasing. We've been trying to give it more visibility in the CE/SOHO worlds, so we were pleased to hear that Amazon is adding EPEAT ratings to its site. Amazon's initial implementation is a start, but could be much stronger.

McAfee/ICF released The Carbon Footprint of Email Spam Report in 2009. Some excerpts from the report's "Key Findings":

I have long advocated for more attention to the "CT" side of Green ICT. Green Touch is a new industry initiative organized by equipment manufacture Alcatel-Lucent that strives to do just that. It declares:

How much heat does a server - or any other piece of ICT gear - generate? Here is how you can calculate it.

The Greenpeace Guide to Consumer Electronics has been ranking "the 18 top manufacturers of personal computers, mobile phones, TVs and games consoles according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change" on a 10-point scale since August 2006. Apple started off back then with a dismal 2.7 ranking and everyone from Greenpeace to Vertatique has been calling on Apple to do better. It earned at 5.1 in the latest Greenpeace rankings, although it is not yet a top performer. This has not stopped Apple apologists from declaring victory.

Follow the global e-waste trail on Greenpeace's interactive map.

The Sierra Club released its third annual Cool Schools ranking of 135 US colleges and universities this fall, based on a self-reporting survey of nine categories: efficiency, energy, food, academics, purchasing, transportation, waste management, administration, and other. About 20% received a grade of A- or higher; all but one are in Eastern or Western states.

Here's how the 27 'A' schools and all the 135 participants distribute geographically.