An incident thirty-one years ago illustrates that e-waste is not a new problem. Atari had to dispose of millions of unsold cartridges of Pac-Man, E.T., and other games . Here's what the company supposedly did back then and how various efforts are are elevating the dump site to mythic status. I thought my final update was last April, but I'm back on it again- this is a story that will not die!

Here is a video announcing the April 2014 uncovering of Atari's long-buried e-waste. Check that out, then read on to see what happened next.

There is a rich global mix of advanced concepts and technologies emerging from research labs that may improve the future sustainability of ICT equipment and infrastructures. We regularly update this post with technologies of interest. (You can see all the technologies which hold the promise of greener ICT in the future by clicking the 'FutureTech' tag, above.) Our latest posts span research into biological agents that can recover gold from e-waste to multiferroic materials to reduce device waste heat.

Workplace social site Cafe Quill has published GreenHab the Office infogrpahic (below). It has many good practices; we're were particularly glad to be reminded of one of the more mundane but still important aspects of Green ICT. And the reminder came with a shocking statistic!

GSMA has published a report and a couple of infographics about e-waste in Latin America. The infographics are displayed in full, below. This report is sign of growing Green CT awareness in the region.

The full report - GSMA's May 2014 report "eWaste en América Latina- is published in spanish, but an executive summary and one of the inforgraphics is available in english. Here are some highlights.

GSMA has published a report and infographics about e-waste in Latin America. The portuguese infographic is displayed in full, below. There has been little Green ICT awareness in the region, so this is a very positive sign.

GSMA has published a Spanish-language report and infographic about e-waste in Latin America. The infographic is displayed in full, below. There has been little Green ICT awareness in the region, so this is a very positive sign.

The healthcare, like most industries, has seen seen its electronic technologies become ICT technologies. Medical facilities are ICT facilities and much medical gear is ICT gear. That's consistent with our inclusive definition of Green ICT. Here are some industry initiatives having an impact:

We've counted over 24 billion pieces of e-gear attached to the global ICT infrastructure. The 'Internet of Things' (IoT) will dramatically increase this number by the end of the decade. Can technology keep up with the energy and resource demands?

We wrote in 2012 about the ecoATM, "…an automated self-serve kiosk system that uses patented, advanced machine vision, electronic diagnostics, and artificial intelligence to evaluate and buy-back used electronics directly from consumers for cash or store credit." In 2013, we noted the EcoATM concept had been accused of facilitating the theft of e-devices. Now, we note ecoATM appears to be thriving and has received an international sustainability award.

We are constantly on the lookout for ICT-intensive communities who appear under-engaged in global Green ICT awareness. More active participation from these communities could do much to advance ICT sustainability. We identified American higher education and global ICT4D advocates as two communities where more effective embrace of Green ICT has significant potential. Console gamers comprise another such community. This is important because research firm IHS has marked game consoles for production growth in 2014.