High-Tech Environmental Concerns Are Real

As a journalist, it's always gratifying when you are at least one step ahead of a story that takes on larger-than-life dimensions. It was truly exciting to report this week's news analysis on high-tech green and environmental issues.

So I was tickled when BusinessWeek also focused on environmental issues this week in its cover story AND when President Bush again made the environment part of his State of the Union address. Oh, yeah, emissions concerns were also explored on the front page of Tuesday's Wall Street Journal. Green has actually always been my second-favorite color, but it's fast on its way to becoming the first.

One thing I found along the way to this week's news analysis is that many of the big-box retailers are dabbling with recycling programs that raise their green high-tech profiile. So if you're assessing what to do, you might want to poke around your local Staples, Best Buy or Office Depot.

It makes sense, as they have the scale that's needed to cut good deals with the companies that handle cast-off equipment.

One big organization that might be interesting for you and your customers as you think through whether it's reasonable to adopt similar programs is the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit service group that was set up to handle both rechargeable batteries and cellular phones.

Considering that some figures estimate that about 100 million cell phones will be cast off each year as penetration deeps, it seems like they'll be plenty busy. Here's their resource site. The United States and Canada are the only countries currently involved with RBRC.

Let me say that there were way more notes than I could use for my own big story on green high-tech issues. So expect more blog material in the days and weeks to come. And ask away. Or send away, if you've got information worthwhile to share with other solution providers.

What shade of green are you? E-mail CRN Editor Heather Clancy at hclancy@cmp.com.