Consumer electronics are becoming greener, but manufacturers still have a long way to go to eliminate hazardous substances from devices and make them more energy efficient, Greenpeace said.In a survey published Wednesday at the CeBIT information technology fair in Hanover, Germany, Greenpeace praised notebooks and mobile phones from Sony, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, and Apple.
"We have already witnessed the arrival of greener products in the market, such as Apple's new laptop, the
"Manufacturers still have a long way to go, but more and more are now taking the environmental impacts of their products seriously," he added.
Greenpeace tested 37 products that 14 major electronics brands picked out as their greenest and agreed to submit for testing. Greenpeace award them points for substitution of toxic substances, energy efficiency, and recyclability.
The three top products--the Sony Vaio TZ11 notebook, the Sony Ericsson
Microsoft and Nintendo were among companies that did not agree to participate. Greenpeace said that all the makers of games consoles either did not submit products at all or submitted them too late to be included.
Greenpeace said its survey, which it began in 2006, was nowhere near comprehensive enough to be used as a green guide for consumers.
Greenpeace toxics campaign leader Zeina Al-Hajj said the environmental group was talking extensively to makers of electronics. "We are seeing a dialogue happening," she told a news conference at CeBIT.
Al-Hajj said it was time for the green IT debate, which has been a recurring theme at this year's CeBIT and other technology fairs, to produce results beyond isolated, showcase products.
"It's not enough just to offer a green computer for the tree-huggers. Environmentally friendly devices must become a general trend and dominate mass production," she said.
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