Green gadgets...a solution!

gotta love finding a solution to a previous blog post about totally not-green tech. here's the Greener Gadgets conference and competition. kudos.

check out the presenter list.

someone want to buy me a plan ticket?

early registration ends on the 15th!

green technology

continuing on the threads of consumption and waste, PSFK's Piers Fawkes posted an inspiring and frank opinion on the Consumer Electronics Show's lack of true green hues. granted, CES is promoting and featuring products that are in no way green and in every way replaceable and wasteful. it's the electronics industry. some companies like Apple have gone greener after much pressure, but most companies and consumers have no idea how to stop the toxic consumption and more importantly, what to do with their products after they go kaput or are shelved for a newer product or advancement.

Fawkes makes a number of great points, the most relevent in my opinion is that greening the electronics industry is a cultural change. it's going to take a shift in development, production and usability before electronics will be green. i also think it's going to take consumers rising up and being a bit more realistic in their expectations of gadgets. sure, the new iPod Touch is hot and yes i want one and could muster the funds to buy it, but my iPod Classic has been wonderfully reliable and i don't need to replace it.

i believe the answer lies within design. a word and theory and even more powerful practice that i believe will define the moving forward of sustainable consumption and greener retail. how can we design products to live through new software versions? how can we produce less toxic gadgets while still ensuring function, durability and sexiness? how can we integrate recycling and waste reduction into the lifespan of these products?

on a brighter note, the EPA and a number of cell phone manufacturers and wireless providers have launched a new cell phone recycling program. more at npr.