Sony Ericsson Releases New 15% Greener Phones

Sony Ericsson has the broad goal of cutting their global emissions by 20% by 2015, and they have taken some steps in the right direction recently by releasing two new handsets that will dramatically reduce the environmental impact a single phone has on the environment. The new handsets are not the product of a radical new process of making phones, but a practical review of where energy, paper, and plastic could be conserved. Up until recently, Sony Ericsson phones came with instructions and other paper notices that amounted to 550 grams. The newer phones contain the owners’ manual digitally inside the phone, and so has cut the shipping weight down to a slim 42 grams. The lighter packages will greatly reduce the amount of fuel needed to ship the phones all across the globe, and the reduced paper will save nearly 13,000 trees on the backs of 1 million phones. The phones themselves are also more environmentally friendly, as they are made of up to 80% recycled plastic, as well as paints that are not as abrasive and harmful. The packaging itself has also been decreased, as there will not be little plastic bags separating the smaller parts of the phone. While these improvements are only for the newer phones, Sony Ericsson plans to have sustainable updates in all their phones by 2011. The two green phones are the C901 and the Naite, which are both scheduled for release later this year. On top of the 20% emissions reduction by 2015, Sony Ericsson also plans to cut its total greenhouse gas emissions by 15% in the same time. Let’s hope Sony Ericsson is the new leader in a trend towards green applications and technology.