Every month, I cringe when I get my cell phone bill (ahem, I mean, when I get the e-mail alerting me to the fact that my cell phone bill has been electronically delivered to my bank in very eco-friendly paperless fashion). It's not that my bills are astronomically high as much as it reminds me that I'm subsidizing an industry that's exposing me to hazardous chemicals and the earth to mounds of e-waste. To claim the eco higher ground, I will say that I've been using the same phone, and keeping e-waste out of landfills, for about three years now--a dinosaur, I know--but could I climb up on my high horse and say I'd give it up entirely? Probably not. But I can switch to an eco-friendly provider. Credo Mobile, a division of the socially conscious telecommunications company Working Assets, allows cell phone customers to donate one percent of any bill to the environmental (or social or civil-rights) nonprofit of their choosing, and it's currently the only provider that allows you to do this. Greenpeace, American Rivers, Sierra Club and the Organic Farming Research Foundation have all received money from Credo. I did a quick, unscientific side-by-side comparison of my current plan on AT&T and a similar plan from Credo, which has only been around in its current form since last October. From what I could tell, you aren't losing much in terms of extras. AT&T allows for rollover minutes and free roaming, while Credo doesn't, but Credo operates off Sprint's mobile network, which gets marginally better online reviews for call clarity and coverage area. The plans start at about $30 per month for 200 anytime minutes with unlimited nights and weekends, and Credo has a decent phone selection, too. Opt for the Samsung phone; Samsung got props in Greenpeace's latest "Guide to Green Electronics" for removing brain-damaging brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in phones, and they'll be launching a PVC-free line of mobile phones in April. The LG phones are a good second, but the company is still in the process of phasing out PVC and BFRs so some products may still contain them. Finally, Credo sells solar-powered chargers to go with every phone and recycles the phones when they die--I doubt other service providers are so responsible. Labels: How to Green Your Lip Service |
