Category | Arts & Living

Earth Talk: Green computers?

Published on April 22, 2008 by The Sentinel

Dear EarthTalk: My old computer finally bit the dust and I am in the
market for a replacement. Are there any particularly “green” computers
for sale these days?

    Thanks in part to pressure from non-profits like
Greenpeace International—which has published quarterly versions of its
landmark “Guide to Greener Electronics” since 2006—computer makers now
understand that consumers care about the environmental footprints of
the products they use.

    The latest version of Greenpeace’s guide gives high
marks to Toshiba, Lenovo, Sony and Dell for increasing the
recyclability of their computers and reducing toxic components and
so-called “e-waste” (refuse from discarded electronic devices and
components). The group also credits Apple, HP and Fujitsu for making
strides toward greener products and manufacturing processes, but
emphasizes that even such top ranked companies have lots of room for
improvement when it comes to the environment.

    PC Magazine, the leading computer publication for
consumer and business users, recently assessed dozens of personal
computers according to environmental standards it developed in-house
based on energy efficiency, recyclability and the toxicity of
components. The publication also factored in various “green”
certification schemes such as the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s EnergyStar program, the European Union’s Restriction of
Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, Taiwan’s Greenmark and the
computer industry’s own Electronic Products Environmental Assessment
Tool (EPEAT).

    The top choices for green desktop computers,
according to PC, are Apple’s Mac Mini, Zonbu’s Desktop Mini, HP
Compaq’s 2710p and dc7800, Lenovo’s ThinkCentre a61e, and Dell’s
OptiPlex 755. As for laptops, the greenest current models include
Dell’s Latitude D630, the Everex Zonbu, Fujitsu’s LifeBook S6510, and
Toshiba’s Tecra A9-S9013.

    Perhaps more important than the green-ness of your
new computer is what you do with the old one. Stuffing it into the
trash or setting it out for curbside pick-up may be the worst thing you
can do with an outdated computer, as heavy metals and other toxins
inevitably get free and get into surrounding soils and water. If the
machine still works, donate it to a local school that can put it to
use, or to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, either of which can re-sell
it to help fund their programs. Another option is to donate it to the
National Cristina Foundation, which places outdated technology with
needy non-profits.

    Once you’ve gotten rid of an old computer and
outfitted yourself with a spiffy new green one, you might just want to
score a few green accessories. Brooklyn, New York’s Verdant Computing,
which bills itself as a purveyor of “the greenest computer products on
the web,” sells remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, laptop cases
made from recycled plastic, GreenDisk CDs packaged in recycled plastic
jewel cases, solar-powered MP3 accessories, energy-saving printers and
even a software program, GreenPrint, which modifies the print programs
on your computer to economize on paper and ink/toner use. Verdant also
has most products shipped to consumers directly from the manufacturers
to save re-shipping.