Responsible consumers are finding more options available for recycling their e-waste. One innovative approach is BuyMyTronics.com, which offers cash for iPods, iPhones, and game consoles, including broken items. Most existing services just accept e-gagets as donations or even charge for disposal. Here's what I learned when I did a obsolete gadget sweep:

A "Website Statement of Sustainable Computing" tells your stakeholders what you are doing to minimize your website's energy consumption and carbon footprint. Here's a checklist you can use to construct your own statement, followed by a statement example:

Learn how to create your Statement

Consumer electronics suppliers will face growing scrutiny of their sustainability practices from retailers. But consumers need to support these efforts by evolving their behavior. Sierra Magazine reports:

"With the power of a good-size country, Wal-Mart has put the squeeze on its 60,000 suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint. Starting in 2008, the retailer will use data from suppliers to measure the impact of its entire supply chain. The incentive: Wal-Mart promises better placement in stores for products that have addressed sustainability issues."

But adds:

The website for the The Green Book cites a number of statistics that can motive more sustainable use of personal electronics:

"Unplug your power. Ten percent of the electricity used in your home is burned by communication devices and appliances when they are turned off!" (These are sometimes referred to as "vampire devices" because they silently drain power during the night.)

The consumer electronics and computer businesses have become synonymous with high rates of (some say planned) obsolescence.

Over twenty US states have or are considering electronics recycling laws, so manufactures are beginning to respond. Three major players - Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba - announced at CES that they are forming the Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company, LLC (MRM).

Recycling is "downstream" solution to the e-waste problem. The "upstream" solution is to rethink product design and marketing to encourage long-term use, not rapid replacement. Additional product design initiatives could reduce toxic components and make recycling easier and cheaper.

Other items of note:

The 2008 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which touts itself as the largest carbon-neutral trade show,  is featuring lots of "green gadgets". Vertatique will be tracking the news coming out of the show, please comment if you have specific experience with any of these devices. Our first CES post features companies offering a new generation of power supplies for computers and other devices. One, Green Plug, cites the following 2008 power supply statistics on its web site:

Europe's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive holds manufacturers "responsible for taking back and recycling electrical and electronic equipment.". While biomed device manufactures may have some short-term exemptions, the handwriting is on the wall . . .

The Sierra Club's magazine hit a Vertatique double in the March/April issue, but I could not find any indication the Club, magazine, or web site practices green computing.

1.  A profile/interview with Sun Microsystems' Dave Douglas on green computing and related topics.

2.  Stats on sustainability issues in movie productions . . .

A PC Today magazine article advocates choosing laptops over desktops:

1.  Smaller form factor means lower impact on both the manufacturing and recycling end of the lifecycle.

2.  Battery life issues force a low energy consumption design: ~50% less than a desktop.

3.  Many laptops comply with European standards for the reduction of hazardous substances (RoHS) and recycling (WEEE).

Interesting stats from the article . . .