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Sprint is supporting America Recycles Day, and encourages consumers to make environmentally conscious choices when purchasing or disposing of products. Sunday, Nov. 15 marks the twelfth annual celebration of America Recycles Day.

Sprint actively supports recycling and reuse through active participation in programs like the EPA's "Plug-In To eCycling National Cell Phone Recycling" initiative. In addition, Sprint continues to develop new, eco-friendly products and accessories such as the Samsung Reclaim which is made partly from bio-plastic and the Solio solar charger - products that are enabling consumers to make "greener" product choices. Sprint has also established new green design criteria for future devices and accessories.

Medis Technologies) announced that its 24/7 Xtreme Portable Power Solution will be sold by T-Mobile online. The site is a pure-green site where a visitor can learn about green initiatives, or buy a T-Mobileproduct or accessory. You can even have a tree planted to help slow down climate change.

Medis CEO Jose Mejia commented, "This T-Mobile site is the most appropriate place yet for Xtreme - because the products are pure green, probably the greenest energy source on Planet Earth. The Xtreme Portable Power Solution is essential when you need to charge your phone and are away from a traditional electric outlet--it is great for the airport when there are no outlets available, or when working outdoors, or hiking, camping, boating, biking--the possibilities are endless."

Results from a 2009 ABI Research survey of 1000 adult mobile phone users in North America reveal that approximately 7% would be willing to pay a premium for an environmentally-friendly handset. A further 40% would choose a green handset over a conventional one if price, features, and performance were equal.

"These survey results mean that almost half of those surveyed were at least committed in principle to use of a green handset," comments industry analyst Michael Morgan. "However the public is largely uninformed about their availability: only 4% said they were 'very familiar' with green handsets."

Juniper Research predicts consumer demand for environmentally sustainable mobile devices will be the primary driver behind the growth of green handsets. Green handsets global shipments could grow to 485 million units by 2014.

With a number of challenges facing vendors and operators, such as the Kyoto Protocol, a concerted effort is required by companies across the industry to reduce these average emissions by a far greater extent over the next five years.

AT&T Wireless has been ranked at the top of the latest Green Vendor Matrix released by ABI Research. Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless claimed the second and third spots in the company's new scorecard of worldwide "green" mobile network operators.

AT&T has programs for recycling, users alternative fuel trucks and has installed solar panels at facilities.

"The Green Carrier Matrix ranks operators on their environmentally friendly, clean technology initiatives primarily focused around green network infrastructure, green network equipment, green handsets and handset recycling," says senior analyst Aditya Kaul.

Sony Ericsson y unveiled two new GreenHeart handsets, showing their commitment to taking a lead on environmental sustainability by driving green innovation.

The GreenHeart program launches with two flagship products - the C901 GreenHeart and Naite- plus the MH300 GreenHeart.

Both new GreenHeart phones build on Sony Ericsson's industry leading 'green core', the result of a long standing commitment to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals from the product design and manufacturing process.

The first flagship product to be launched, the C901 GreenHeart, will include an electronic, in-phone manual to replace the standard paper version, saving over 90% in paper and reducing the environmental impact of transporting the final product through more compact packaging. The C901 GreenHeart phone casing is made from a minimum of 50% recycled plastics and includes an optimised display light sensor that uses less energy. The phone is colored with waterborne paint that lowers exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).

The C901 GreenHeart will ship with the MH300 GreenHeart  headset, one of the greenest headsets available, made up of 100% recycled plastics in 4 out of 5 hard plastic parts and far exceeding legal environmental requirements. 

As well as featuring many of the innovations showcased in the C901 GreenHeart, Naite will come to market with a low-power charger, the EP300 GreenHeart charger, one of the first of its kind to be introduced to the market. Thanks to these innovations, the overall CO_² footprint over the full life of the C901 GreenHeart and Naite is reduced by 15%.

Greenpeace wants you to choose your toilet tissue wisely and there's an app for that.

The Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide makes it easy to find out which brands of facial tissues, toilet paper, paper towels, and napkins are truly green and which should be avoided.

Greenpeace carefully evaluated over 100 brands and recommended those that: contain 100% overall recycled content; contain at least 50% post-consumer recycled content; and are bleached without toxic chlorine compounds.

While grocery shopping or just stopping by the corner store to grab a roll of toilet paper, users can make informed decision as both a consumer and someone concerned about the world's ancient forests.

The Greenpeace new iPhone app brings the Guide directly to iPhone or iPod touch. It is also available on Android phones, just search for it in Android Apps. If you don't have an iPhone or an Android you can view the mobile web (WAP) version here: 3rdwhale.com/greenpeace/wap

Greenpeace also recommends using reusable cloth hankies instead of facial tissues as using handkerchiefs further reduces our impact on ancient forests.

For Earth Day, carriers and cell phone recyclers ares encouraging people to recycle their cell phones. Recycling is important because cell phones contain toxic chemicals. 

We have listed the top best places to recycle your cell phone.  If your cell phone or smartphone is fairly new, you may be able to sell it on eBay. There are also companies that buy your used cell phone.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, only 10 percent of all cell phones that are discarded are actually recycled. ReCellular, estimates that recycling 2.5 million phones has prevented more than 153 tons of e-waste from entering landfills, the environmental equivalent of:

• Saving enough energy to power nearly 7,709 U.S. households for a year.
• Avoiding the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as removing more than 5,546 passenger cars from the roads for a year.
• And keeping more than 4 tons of toxic materials out of landfills.

Places to Sell your Cell Phone or Get Credits

• You can sell used cell phones to iBuyPhones.com for cash, or recycle qualifying phones. In conjunction with a partnership with American Forests, they will plant a tree for every recycled phone received. Currently, they pay $75 for an original iPhone and $200 for an iPhone 3G 16 GB. A BlackBerry Storm gets $150 while a BlackBerry Bold goes for $125.
  
• Recellular will only buy cell phones in lots of ten or more. However you can at www.recellulartradein.com get BestBuy Digital Dollars for your old phone.
• Go to www.sprint.com/recycle or go to any Sprint-owned retail stores nationwide to return eligible Sprint or Nextel devices for account credits with Sprint Buyback.

Fox Mobile, in celebration of Earth Day on April 22, it is offering the Green Living Guide : free to U.S. consumers through April 26, 2009 on Jamster.

The mobile app gives tips and recommendations on how to live a greener, environmentally-friendly life and includes sections on conservation, recycling, reuse, transportation, and ongoing sustainable solutions for green living.

The Green Living Guide mobile application, developed by Incelligence, can be downloaded at Jamster (instructions follow) or users can text the keyword "GOGREEN" to 75555. 

To get the free Green living Guide app from the web follow these instructions.

1.Click this link to access the free Green Living Guide Application:

2.Enter your mobile number to get your free product. You will not be signed up for a subscription. (Free Check)

3.Download: Once you've submitted your mobile number, you will receive the following message: "We just sent a text message to your phone with a download link" (Standard operator charges will apply)

4.Download the application per the direction in the text message on your mobile.

RIM has created a BlackBerry specific website for Earth Hour, a time when all people on the earth can show their support for the earth.  The BlackBerry mobile website offers information about the project.

The VOTE EARTH website says

"On March 28 you can VOTE EARTH by switching off your lights for one hour.
Or you can vote global warming by leaving your lights on.

The results of the election are being presented at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. We want one billion votes for Earth, to tell world leaders that we have to take action against global warming."

The RIM BlackBerry site has downloadable wallpapers and videos. You can also follow VOTE EARTH on Twitter.

Samsung is showing at Mobile World Congress, Blue Earth is the first solar powered touchscreen phone.  The solar panel located on the back of the phone generates enough electronic power to call anytime anywhere.

Blue Earth is made from recycled plastic called PCM, made  from recycled water bottles.  The Blue Earth phone, including charger, is free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate.

Blue Earth has adjustments for screen brightness, backlight duration and Bluetooth to an energy-efficient mode.

Sprint plans to reach a 90% phone collection rate for reuse/recycling compared with annual wireless device sales by 2017.

Sprint has instituted a "Zer0 e-Waste" policy with the providers who receive and process the recycled phones it collects, ensuring they are recycled safely, ethically and responsibly.

A recent Sprint survey examining consumers' mobile phone recycling habits found that nine out of 10 surveyed own at least one and as many as five old, unused mobile phones.

To encourage consumers to recycle their unused wireless devices, Sprint offers two free and easy programs: Sprint Buyback and Sprint Project Connect

• Sprint customers can participate in the Sprint Buyback program by going to www.sprint.com/recycle or going to any Sprint-owned retail stores nationwide. The wireless device recovery effort allows customers to return eligible Sprint or Nextel devices for account credits.
• Anyone can recycle with Sprint Project Connect. The program accepts all wireless phones, batteries, accessories and data cards, regardless of carrier or condition. Free postage-paid envelopes are available at any Sprint-owned retail store, and come in the box with most new phones sold by Sprint.
  

T-Mobile is now offering the MOTO W233 Renew, with plastic phone housing made from recycled water bottles and is entirely recyclable.

The Renew, available for $9.99 with a two-year service agreement and reduces carbon footprints. Through an alliance with Carbonfund.org, Motorola offsets the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation, making it the first carbon-neutral mobile phone.

The Renew saves energy with battery life of up to nine hours of talk time. The phone packaging and included in-box materials are printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper. Also included in the box is a prepaid shipping envelope for customers to use to recycle their old device.

The Renew features CrystalTalk technology, messaging capabilities, web browser (WAP), dual band GMS 850 /1900, USB connector and an optional 2 GB of removable memory. The dispay is 128 x128 pixels.

The MOTO W233 Renew is available today at select T-Mobile retail stores

Ericsson is offering energy-efficient products with emphasis on network energy optimization. This kind of deployment is especially needed for the emerging markets their news release notes.

In 2007, Ericsson implemented biofuel as an alternative energy resource, and in 2000 Ericsson was the first telecom player to deploy a solar solution to power a Moroccan operator's mobile network. Wind power is another example of an alternative energy resource for powering mobile networks located beyond the electricity grid

Ericsson also introduced of a unique hybrid solutions where we use submarine batteries that can be recharged over and over again to power a mobile network.The solution saves approximately 10 000 liters of diesel per radio site per year, which is 40 to 50 percent of the diesel needed. This adds up to large quantities of fuel that can be saved in a mobile network with hundreds or thousands of diesel powered radio sites.

Most mobile handset vendors acknowledge public pressure to create environmentally sound products. It is an issue they need to continue to address through their corporate responsibility charters. Faced with the economic realities of “going green” however, their appetite for creating biodegradable and recyclable products from sustainable resources often fades like a wireless signal in an underground parking lot.

Five mobile manufacturers have agreed to a common energy rating system for chargers. The star rating system developed and supported by LG, Motorola, Nokia Samsung Electronics and Sony Ericsson .

Chargers use electricity when disconnected from the phone but left plugged into the wall socket. Around two thirds of the energy used by mobile devices is wasted in this way.

The new rating system indicates how much energy each charger uses when left plugged into the wall socket after charging is completed. The ratings covers all chargers currently sold by the five companies, and range from five stars for the most efficient chargers down to zero stars for the ones consuming the most energy.

If the more than three billion people owning mobile devices today switched to a four or five star charger, this could save the same amount of energy each year as produced by two medium sized power plants.

Flipswap has gotten financing so that mobile upgraders can get credit for their old cell phones and iPods.

Flipswap helps consumers trade-in their mobile phones and get credit toward a new device. They also offer to donate money to charity or plant trees.  Today, an original iPhone 8G is fetching $195.00. You can check prices online and get a mailer, or go to a Flipswap retail location.

Sprint announced an ambitious goal to reduce its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 15 percent by 2017, along with a set of environmental priorities, as part of its expanded environmental program. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will recognize Sprint as a "GHG Reduction Goal Setter" during the 2008 Climate Leaders Conference Oct. 6-Oct. 8 in Chicago.

Sony Ericsson is launching green initiatives with an environmental warranty and GreenHeart phones.

The Sony Ericsson's environmental warranty ensures that when any Sony Ericsson product is taken to a designated collection point, Sony Ericsson will recycle this product in an environmentally sound way. 

The warranty is valid globally, regardless of where the product was originally purchased, as Sony Ericsson strives to show its support for 'individual producer responsibility'.

The GreenHeart  includes features such as bio-plastic housings, recycled plastic keypads, zero charger with 3.5mW standby power, HTML based e-manuals, a game style educational application 'Ecomate' and environmentally conscious packaging.

This week's Democratic Party Convention promises to be the "greenest" political gathering in history. A Verizon Wireless news release says that Verizon is doing its part to help the environment in Denver and nationwide, starting with phone recycling. According to the EPA, recycling 100 million cell phones would save enough energy to power nearly 200,000 U.S. households with electricity for a year.

Verizon Wireless is encouraging delegates and other visitors to Denver and everyone with a used wireless phone or accessory they're no longer using to donate the equipment to its HopeLine program. Wireless phones and equipment can be donated this week and year-round at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store in Denver. Donated phones, batteries and accessories will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way or refurbished for reuse, with proceeds and devices benefiting survivors of domestic violence.

Verizon Wireless also offered more "green" tips for delegates and all wireless users:

• Unplug your charger when it's not in use.
• Download or preload directions in VZ Navigator to save fuel when traveling.
• Work from home - or elsewhere - with 3G wireless
   

Comment from Wireless and Mobile News:

It's kind of hard for politicians to work at home - they have to be present to vote on bills!