Hey Eco-Consumers! Want help finding your next phone?

Any eco-consumer who has ever started upon the task of purchasing a new gadget knows what a daunting task it can be. Where do we start? What features are we looking to find? What do all those abbreviations mean? Can we really trust the sales people to be giving us information that will be helpful for what we individually want?

As the world continues to grow more technology oriented it will be helpful to have some set standards in place. Something that we can use to compare gadgets in a way that makes sense to the non-tech-savvy.
For now, let's focus on which phones and phone accessories are making a commotion in the sustainable world today.

Palm Pre Plus...
The least eco-friendly phone

Starting from rock bottom and moving up, we can automatically eliminate the Palm Pre Plus which, according to this blog, are the least eco-friendly phones around.Although after all the other bad press Palm received for the most recent phones, it's comes as no surprise that they would also have forgotten about one of the biggest initiatives going on in the world right now as well.

Sony Ericsson Elm Phone
One of the top eco-friendly phones

But don't lose hope! There are some phones that have been designed specifically to be greener, even literally. The Samsung E200Eco, is not only a green color, but is made with Bioplastics and marketed on a greener platform. Even more successful is the Sony Ericsson Elm, which seems to have climbed pretty high on the charts of most eco-friendly phones. (And it still includes all those nifty step-counting features that I loved when I had a Sony Ericsson). I found a couple of contradictory lists, but while the orders may be slightly different they all included the same top 5 eco-friendly phones.

Bioserie Bioplastic Cases for the iPhone
Made from plants with focus on sustainable
supply chains and manufacturing

There are even some phone accessories that are focused on sustainability. Bioserie makes bioplastic cases for  both of maybe the most talked about gadgets of the day, the iPhone4 and the iPad. Which means that their cases are made "from dead plants" as Gizmodo so eloquently lays it down for us.

Of course these aren't the only phones paving the way to a more eco-friendly connectivity. But for now, if you're looking to find a phone that is environmentally conscious, hopefully you aren't opposed to all of your options being green.

New Mexico is home of the original "Bioneers"

Bioneer: n. social and scientific innovators from all walks of life and disciplines who have peered deep into the heart of living systems to understand how nature operates, and to mimic "nature's operating instructions" to serve human ends without harming the web of life. Nature's principles—kinship, cooperation, diversity, symbiosis and cycles of continuous creation absent of waste—can also serve as metaphoric guideposts for organizing an equitable, compassionate and democratic society.  


That is how founder Kenny Ausubel described what he believed to be a new emerging culture back in 1990. Since then his non-profit has grown enormously. The 2008 more than 120,000 people attended their annual conference and smaller conferences throughout the year. The conferences focus on brainstorming and planning a brighter and greener future with a strikingly optimistic outlook. The main strategy, connectivity. Bioneers come from all backgrounds and industries and recognize that the only way they will be successful is to work together. 


Registration for this year's annual conference is still open. At this year's conference the focus will be on solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity. 


<---- Or if you're looking for something that might have a little more comedic strength you could attend this. 

Amanda Bramble is Aug 16th Radio Guest

Upcoming next Monday, August 16th, Sustainable 1000 Green Radio will be talking with guest Amanda Bramble from Ampersand Sustatainable Learning Center and Sustainable Habitat Consulting. Located in Cerriollos, New Mexico, the Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center is an off-grid center explorinig the possiblilites of living in balance with resources starting with the basics, food, water, shelter and energy. Ampersand provides classes, internships and other resources aimed at educating on and increasing awareness about options and the importance of only using what resources are necessary. They also offer consulting to help individuals and organizations learn about how to create a sustainable living environment.

Amanda Bramble created Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center in 2001 after years of experiences and learning which eventually led her back to Arizona to grow her own vision of sustainability. While she was always interested in living in balance with the land, she officially started her studies at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and continued through learning experiences with John and Nancy Todd, founders of the New Alchemy Institute, Oceans Arcs International, work with the Center for Biological Diversity, Arcosanti, founded by Paulo Soleri  where she also met mentor, Barbara Kerr.

To learn more about what sustainability means to Amanda Bramble, make sure to tune into Sustainable 1000's radio blog August 16th at 9AM MTS!

New Mexico Green Radio - June 4, 2010 - Sustainability & Community

The pre-recorded radio show broadcast live on June 4, 2010 with call-ins and social media interaction for questions. The New Mexico section end at the 1 hour mark. Sustainable 1000 Green Radio covered two states on this day. Our focus was exploring how community and sustainability connect with each other. Our Colorado guests included (in order of introduction): 

Douglas Patterson
Living Design Group
http://www.ldgtaos.com

Joan Erben
New Mexico State University at Grants
http://www.grants.nmsu.edu/

Erin Sanborn
The Blue Economy
http://www.worldacademy.org/files/Blue%20Economy%202009.pdf

Albuquirky and New Mexico

My time in New Mexico is summed up with the title. The place is filled with a small town feel even as it's state government attracts huge corporations like Intel and HP. My visit with new friends including the walkable and fun downtown, as well as the old town charm with a few ghost stories thrown in for good measure.