Who's the Greenest Mobile Provider?
Which company provides the "greenest" cellphone service? Two new research surveys help provide the answers.
Finding the greenest phones requires looking at two things: mobile providers and mobile manufacturers. First up, green service providers. ABI Research looked at a long list of companies and ranked them according to such factors as use of clean technology and environmentally friendly initiatives throughout their infrastructure, equipment, and devices, and how readily they accept handset recycling. AT&T took top marks in the survey, because it has focused more efforts on green R&D. Sprint Nextel came in a close second, because it excelled in handset recycling, green IT, and green phones.
As for your phones, a study by Jupiter Research didn't endorse any specific manufacturers, but it did point out that consumers want green phones, and that desire is driving the market.
Why is it important to look at the eco-impact of our tiny little phones? Simple: because together, they have a massive impact. Juniper found that, on average, our individual cell phone usage produces 25kg of carbon dioxide emissions every year, and that added up to a massive total of 93 megatons in 2008.
Info like this can help you to make informed decisions about your environmental impact. So if you're looking for a new phone or a new service provider, keep these findings in mind!
