Green machines
Jassmin Peter investigates which technology companies are giving consumers the chance to make greener choices.
The major concern with the production and consumption of today's technology is its increasing affect on the environment. While there's nothing wrong with technology per-se, the way we use it does give cause for concern. Prolonged use of motor vehicles, air-conditioning units and mobile phones emits large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), contributing to global warming. Using computers and surfing the Internet not only consumes electricity by the megawatt, the servers storing online data and photos are notorious carbon emission criminals. This coupled with the fact a traditional PC or mobile phone has a life span of just a few years, spells an exponential increase in the electronic waste (e-waste) and toxins seeping into our ecosystem. To walk technology's tight carbon footprint line with ease, you need to know where to shop:
IT Apple's MacBook Pro (www.apple.com) leads the way with the Greener Apple initiative, promising to adhere to RoHs (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliancy. This law imposed by the European Union restricts the use of six hazardous materials - lead, mercury, cadmuin, Hexavalent chromium, Polybrominated biphenyls and Polybrominated diphenyl ether - often used to manufacture electrical equipment. Apple started recycling in 1994 and operates programmes in countries where more than 82 percent of all its Macs and iPods are sold. It aims to recycle 19 million pounds of e-waste by 2010.
In 2008, PC behemoth Dell (www.dell.com) unveiled a desktop computer encased in bamboo - one of the world's most
renewable resources - as an alternative to plastic or metal.
Motoring Mazda (www.mazda.com) has launched its futuristic, lightweight and compact Kiyora model which is fuel-efficient and has low CO2 emissions. The Japanese manufacturer plans to achieve up to 30 percent fuel efficiency in future. Voted one of the top eco-friendly cars in 2009, the Toyota Camry Hybrid (www.toyota.com) boasts a Hybrid Synergy Drive system which runs on electric power or gas.
Telecoms Bellwethers Motorola (www.motorola.com), LG (www.lg.com), Philips (www.philips.com) and Sony Ericsson (www.sonyericsson.com) have applied eco-design techniques to reduce the amount of hazardous substances used. All of Nokia's (www.nokia.com) 10 factories worldwide are RoHs compliant. While NEC (www.nec.com) has developed the first handset using plant-derived bioplastics and shifted away from fossil fuel-based power generation - cutting emissions by 50 percent.
Household Panasonic (www.panasonic.com) uses the Mottainai concept - reuse, reduce and recycle - to educate consumers on environmental consciousness and has created a host of environmentally efficient household white goods, including a Big Capacity Inverter refrigerator and Top Load Inverter washing machine.
Get in the know
Singapore aims to increase its recycling rate from 56 percent to 70 percent by 2030. Learn how to contribute by attending one of four annual tours organised by Singapore Environment Institute (www.nea.gov.sg/cms/sei/PEEL.html) to four recycling plants - including the offshore Semakau Landfill, Newater Visitor Centre and NEA's Air Monitoring Station. See how five kilos of gold is extracted from 15 tonnes of electronic waste every week, refined and then sold to jewellers.
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