Appliances

Many things that end up on the curb each week aren't thrown out because they're broken or even obsolete — they're just not useful to their owner anymore and they take up too much space. Five years ago, a man by the name of Deron Beal set out to make us think twice about the value of the stuff we no longer use, through a network of community message boards called Freecycle.

Many of the top electronics companies have instituted recycling programs in recent years, aiming to cut down on consumer waste and the release of dangerous chemicals into landfills. But what if you can't find that little envelope that came with your cell phone or printer cartridge, or if the nearest drop off center is a hundred miles from your house?

No company wants to be known for employing children in sweatshops or coating their products in lead paint, but intricate supply chains filled with contractors and subcontractors have helped to insulate global corporations from the responsibility of ensuring that their products are safe and ethical.

The consumer and business electronics giant Canon unveiled a 2008 plan for making its packaging and products more friendly to environment and buyers. Using the tag line “Generation Green”, Canon created three categories of marketing and product manufacturing practices intended to help consumers identify Canon as a green conscious company with a range of green goods and policies.

General Electric, which for decades has held one of the worst environmental reputations in the country, finally seems to be getting serious about cleaning up its act. Having dabbled in some of the more ridiculous green schemes ever perpetrated by a PR department, GE has made some promises recently that actually merit praise.