Eco-friendly phones

Jessica Dolcourt
Senior Editor June 16, 2010 (updated on: April 22, 2010)

It takes a fair amount of natural resources to create even the simplest cell phone. Considering how often we replace them, power them up, and get rid of packaging, the more conscious manufacturers are about recycled materials, power consumption, and packaging, the better for everyone. Here's a look at the latest environmentally friendly phones to cross our desks.

Motorola may have been the first to drop its eco-friendly phone to a U.S. carrier with the Motorola Renew W233 for T-Mobile, but Samsung now has shouldered the bulk of these devices, like the Samsung Replenish, which also happens to be Sprint's first Android phone of this type. It has a QWERTY keyboard in addition to its touch scren, and it runs Android 2.2 Froyo. For an additional $30, you can pick up a back cover with solar panels to help charge the battery. Then there's the Samsung Reclaim and Samsung Restore. Both messaging phones are made from recycled materials, and both phones come in recyclable packaging as well. The Reclaim has a square design, whereas the Restore has an external number keypad along with a sliding QWERTY keyboard. It will soon make its way to Virgin Mobile. Starting May 8, the Samsung Replenish will come to Sprint as well; it's a $50 Android phone with the unique addition of an optional $30 solar charging cover.

The Samsung Evergreen is a messaging phones that follows its predecessors with a recycled body and packaging printed with soy ink, plus power-saving modes and indicators, and green-themed wallpapers and ringtones. Samsung's Intensity II is another texting phone made from recycled materials, a sleeper eco-phone because it's marketed to teens and texters, and not explicitly to the eco-conscious bunch.

Not to be outdone, Sony Ericsson has its Naite, which fits into Sony E's GreenHeart initiative. The Naite is made from recycled plastic and consumes little power in standby mode. Additionally, the phone comes packaged in a smaller box made from less cardboard than typical packaging and includes a charger that's compliant with the Energy Star V standards.

Last in our list is the LG Remarq. It's not quite as advanced as the Restore, but it does have a unique square design and is also partially made from recycled materials. Both the Restore and the Remarq come with an eco-calculator application that claims to calculate your carbon dioxide emissions based on certain activities like walking and cycling.