Nokia have produced new information on their mobile phones and other devices called ‘Eco Profiles.’ Each profile can be found on a database and lists not only the environmental attributes of the product but information on the environmental impact of the device. Information such as the device’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions can be found.
According to Nokia, the environmental impact of a device varies according to its weight and the functionalities it offers. For example, a basic mobile phones with few functions tends to have less of an impact than devices which have a lot of features. On the other hand, a device which incorporates a lot of functions such as a mobile phone, camera, music player, web brower can reduce the need for mulitple devices thereby reducing your overall impact on the environment.
The Eco Profiles contain specific information on what potentially hazardous materials are and are not contained in the mobile phone, energy consumption and how to recycle your mobile and accessories.
It’s definitely useful information for consumers and is good to have transparency, although users need to be subjective as Nokia are choosing which and how much data they show.
It’s good to know though that Nokia are promoting mobile phone recycling in line with their already fantastic reputation for being ‘green’.