14 DAY TRIAL // As inhabitants of planet Earth, we should all be aware that the actions we take have an effect on the world we live in.
And purchasing gadgets is no different. But when we think of buying a tablet, we don’t actually consider the impact the device will have on the ecosystem. We usually concentrate on how large the tablet's screen should be, what processor will pump life into it, how much internal storage there is and so on.
Actually a recent New York Times article showed that only 1-5% of customers purchase gadgets with the environment in mind. Even if the numbers are quite low, you’d be surprise to know even some tech manufacturers are pushing for the gadget-related reduction of carbon footprint.
Evaluating the environmental impact of tablets requires assessment of everything from materials used to manufacture them to their durability and energy efficiency and even whether they are easily reused or recycled at the end of their usual life.
Tablets can have a smaller ecological footprint during their life, but they can potentially cause environmental damage if not managed properly when they become obsolete.
The production process of the devices should also be taken into account and is quite important. When tablets are being manufactured, emissions are released into the waste water and air, thus polluting the environment.
For example, producing one iPad creates a carbon dioxide emission that can be equated to that of a car that drove for 515 miles / 828 km.
Therefore environmental sensitive customers should go with companies that are focusing on being responsible towards the ecosystem when it comes to building their products.
The Greenpeace Guide for Greener Electronics is an excellent place to start research on green tech companies. The list they provide include popular manufacturers like Acer, Apple, Samsung, Sony and Lenovo so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
These companies are scored from 1 to 10, taking into consideration a number of points like eco-friendly product releases, green company operations and energy efficiency.
And for those on the lookout for a budget Android tablet we have just the thing for you. The Ematic eGlide Pro X is a 9.7-inch device that uses eco-friendly ink that comes from recycled cartridges.
On top of that, Ematic also runs power-efficient facilities and has made it a point in donating 10% of its profit to charitable organization. A big caveat here is the slate runs the out-dated Android 4.0, but maybe if you’re not a power-user, you won’t mind that much.
Samsung too, is pretty careful when it comes to the environment. The Korean Tech giant introduced the Samsung Recycling Direct program in which the company has partnered up with recycling companies and take-backs.
According to the official website, the joint venture has managed to collect a total of 192 million pounds / 87 million kg of e-waste.
Moving on, Acer has a partnership with popular retailer Best Buy that offers a mail-back service for older devices. The tablet maker will also alert customers concerning the availability of certain recycling programs in their area.
Bottom line, there are plenty of tablets to choose from when you’re considering getting a green piece of technology and options range from the Acer Iconia A1-830, Samsung’s line of Galaxy NotePRO/TabPRO slates and Lenovo’s popular business slate, the ThinkPad 8.
So keep in mind that shopping with the environment in mind doesn’t mean your choice has to be limited and you still have a wide range of choice, as more and more tech manufactures are abiding by ecological standard when they build your tablets.