Thanks to companies like Credo Mobile (formerly Working Assets) and recyclers like CollectiveGood.com, environmentally conscious consumers have long been able to choose a socially responsible cell phone plan and recycle their phones when they’re ready for a new one.

But consider that surpassed 3.3 billion last year (equivalent to about half the world’s population). That’s a lot of cell phone handsets. And when you think about how often people upgrade their phones without recycling that’s a lot of handsets heading to the trash. In fact, more than half a billion cell phones are already in landfills.So it’s a relief to hear that Nokia, the world’s largest maker of cell phone handsets, is trying to create a greener cell phone. At last weeks Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas (nirvana for any tech junkies like me), Nokia debuted a non-working prototype of the Eco Sensor Concept they announced last year. The concept is a hybrid of eco friendly materials, energy efficiency and - get this – “a wearable sensor unit which can sense and analyze your environment, health, and local weather conditions.” Now that’s allotta phone.

With the Eco Sensor Concept, Nokia tries to honor the waste reduction principles of reduce, reuse and recycle (Finally!). The phone’s casing will be made from 100% reclaimed steel, some non-renewable materials are replaced with bio-materials such as polylactic acid (PLA) and nano technology called “printed electronics” will enable the phone’s components to be smaller which will reduce waste at the end of the product’s usable life. Both “printed electronics” and PLA also require less energy to produce, further reducing the product’s environmental footprint. A phone that follows these principles would set a remarkable example for the rest of the electronics industry.

Nokia has also optimized the Eco Sensor for lower energy consumption than current cell phones. That’s a good thing considering cell phones batteries are now powering more than just phone calls. In fact, I’m writing this very blog using an internet connection from my Samsung Blackjack! One of the phone’s most distinctive features is a solar cell in the neck strap that powers the environmental sensor. Nokia is also exploring other non-traditional ways to increase energy efficiency such as harvesting kinetic energy (energy derived from motion) much in the same way some wristwatches are powered and replacing current display screen technology with “electrowetting” (a process that applies electrical voltage to tiny drops of oil, causing the droplets to expand and contract).

If you think we are facing an e-waste problem with 3.3 billion cell phones currently in use, consider that many people have multiple batteries for their phones and you quickly see an even bigger problem. Given the toxic nature of cell phone batteries, cell phone makers need to commit to renewable energy that can extend cell phone battery life. Greener materials and manufacturing processes may reduce waste, but something’s got to be done about toxic batteries that threaten to pollute our soil and ground water.

The “Sensor” portion of the Eco Sensor Concept seemed to me at first an odd fit with the materials and energy efficiency aspects. But I suppose health and wellness are by definition, central to any concept rooted in sustainability.

The sensor is worn around your neck or wrist and is powered not by a battery, but by solar cells woven into the strap. The sensor communicates wirelessly using NFC (near field communication) technology to pass information to the phone.

Check your heart rate during a work out, how far you’ve run or subscribe to “environmental catastrophe warning[s]” – finally a faster way to learn about impending doom! (All kidding aside, a few minutes extra when a tornado is approaching can mean the difference between life and death but why not just get a text message?)

Anyway, I digress. Nokia expects a variety of sensors from which to choose. For instance, a personal trainer sensor might monitor heart rate and distance (think Nike Plus) or an environmental sensor might monitor air quality and particulates for people with asthma, allergies or respiratory conditions.

I’m a bit skeptical of the modular sensor approach. Anyone remember the “Springboard” modules for the Handspring Visor? If handsets continue to change quickly (and there’s no reason to expect they won’t) I fear modules will simply end up in the trash once the next generation handset is released.

Whatever the hardware solution, the sensor approach reflects a growing trend in electronics that are “aware” of their surroundings (GPS systems, Nike Plus and Dodgeball.com are a few examples). I’m sure marketers (like me) will leverage this awareness for a variety of commercial purposes, but what’s innovative about Nokia’s approach is that this awareness is being used for good – health and wellness.

There’s no word yet on when you’ll be able to buy a phone with features from Nokia’s Eco Sensor Concept. But it sure is good to see that a big brand in the electronics industry is starting to think little more Technically Green.

Credo Mobile: www.credomobile.com
Collective Good: www.collectivegood.com

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