Finally, You Can Buy an Eco Conscious Smartphone

Smartphones: The Latest Products to Get Certified Finally, smartphone manufacturers are thinking green. I can't tell you how often I have Googled "green cellphone" and come up empty. One more way to vote green with your wallet!

Green Christmas Books and Gifts

I browsed through both of these greener Christmas books the other day. "A Greener Christmas" was a little too country and crafty for my tastes, but featured lots of ideas to streamline the holidays and save money. "I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas", by Anna Getty, is a better fit for those of you with eco-urban tastes. Anna was featured on a CNN "green your Christmas, segment this weekend.

The last two photos featured, a picture frame and a clutch/makeup bag are from Two's Company and are created from recycled computers. Eco-cool man.

U.S. Troops Guardians of the Environment?

Check out this interesting article which contrasts U.S. troops efforts to preserve the environment in Germany and Japan against what is happening on the ground in Iraq.

PC Disposal Options

Harboring a PC and various peripherals in your closets, attic or basement? Thinking about tossing them out or giving them away during your annual (or biennial) spring cleaning ritual? Read this article from Black Enterprise Magazine's BEing Green blog before doing anything for suggestions on how to protect your information and the planet.

Psssst. (Your very own Black and Into Green blogger is quoted...how cool is that!) Thank you for the love Margarette!

Going Green Can Make You Money

Still waiting on that W-2? Need cash now to buy some hot Valentines Day gifts or to pay your gas bill? Check out this article in Planet Green which features ways you can make money by going green. And you thought you only saved money by going green. Karma baby!

Green Computing or Stop the Techno Trash!

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of kicking off a very green work week by attending a Green Computing breakfast presentation coordinated by One Community in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to attending the event, I thought green computing had something to do with reducing energy use in computers. Well, I was partially correct, green computing is defined by Wikipedia as "the study and practice of using computer resources efficiently." Basically, the attempt to use computers and technology in a way that maximizes the triple bottom line - people, planet, profit. So this would include, energy efficiency, materials recycling and telecommuting. As we have become a nation of gadget-holics, the amount of trash from these mercury and lead laden doo-dads has risen exponentially over the decade. Why is this a bad thing? Click here to read the e-waste post from Ethiorussian and you will understand. This issue will be an agenda item for the House of Representatives in 2009. Anyway, One Community, a technology based non-profit in Cleveland, Ohio has devised a wonderful solution to the e-waste issue that benefits the environment and education. The organization is offering to pick up old computers and related hardware from area businesses and organizations, strip information from the drives and refurbish them to meet the needs of the Cleveland Municipal School District or recycle them with a 100% no landfill guarantee. Is your computer ancient? Don't worry, no computer is too old to serve a child given thin client solutions that enable a central server to do most of the processing. This is a win-win as it enhances the educational experience of our children, unclutters closets and storage rooms of donors and reduces the amount of toxins in the environment. Awesome!! Do you want to help solve the e-waste problem? Check out this Earth911 listing of resources that reuse old electronics. Be sure to go to e-Stewards.org to confirm that the stuff isn't being shipped overseas to poison the lives of others.

Trash Talk from NPR: Recycling Information

For those of you wondering about where all of our trash goes and wanting to learn to create less and recycle more, but don't have the time to read a bunch of articles-have I got some trash talk for you! Click on this link and listen to a series of special trashy programs developed by National Public Radio. There is some good information about the amount of e-trash or electronic trash that is increasingly showing up in our landfills.The audio feature is great because you can listen and learn while doing some other cool stuff. Remember to turn up the volume so you can hopefully influence family and friends to be kinder and gentler to the environment.

Old Electronics and Appliances Disposal Ideas

We all have a house full of old cell phones, televisions, computers and related gadgetry. For those of use who are environmentally conscious, it usually accumulates in drawers, closets, under sofas and in the garage. Read this article for eco-friendly and socially responsible ways of disposing of these items. Disposal