Blackberry Storm and Apple iPhone move aside there is a new touch-screen cell phone coming out that is looking to reduce energy and material waste, the Samsung Blue Earth.  Samsung has been working on its image as an eco-friendly company under their campaign “The Blue Earth Dream: Eco-living with SAMSUNG Mobile” and now they definitely have up the anty.  In a press release from the 16th of February, Samsung introduced their new cell phone, Blue Earth.  As a geeky mom who loves the idea of eco-friendly technology, the Blue Earth definitely has caught my eye.

The new Blue Earth cell phone is made from PCM, a plastic they extract from water bottles.  Parents will be happy to know that “device, including charger, is free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate”.  The back panel of the Blue Earth has integarted solar panels making it the first solar powered touch-screen cell phone.  While you can charge it via the solar panels when you are on the go, it comes with a 5 star energy efficient wall charger that consumes just under 0.03 watts.  Furthermore, the packaging that the Blue Earth comes in is made from recycled paper.

The user interface is designed to remind the user about the need to “preserve our fragile environment”.  Switching to an energy efficient mode is easily done from the home screen by selecting “Eco-mode”.  You can even use the cell phone as a pedometer that shows how much you have lowered CO2 emissions by the distance you have walked.

While cell phone and other technology companies have a long road to travel before they really become sustainable this is definitely an improvement.  Technology has often been associated with waste, both by the computers and cell phones left behind when people buy shiny new models, but also through the energy wasted from them being plugged in.  With the advent of cell phones like the Blue Earth and standardized cell phone chargers, which we can hope will eventually all be energy star certified, the world of technology is started to make a shift towards being less wasteful.  And if you just “have to” have a new cell phone in the near future maybe it would be worth while to check out the Samsung Blue Earth.  As parents we can send a message to both companies and our children by purchasing items that are designed with the planet’s health in mind.

Image Credit: Samsung Mobile World Congress 2009: Blue Earth Product Page.