Biodegradable Cell Phones Sprout Into Flowers

Neurowiz writes "Tired of your cell phone and lusting after the new model with all the geek-gadgets? Worried about the effect that throwing away your cell phones may have on the environment? Worry not! 'Researchers at the University of Warwick's Warwick Manufacturing Group, in conjunction with PVAXX Research & Development Ltd, have devised a novel way to recycle discarded mobile telephones - bury them and watch them transform into the flower of your choice.' What's next? Plant your PC/Mac and watch a house grow?"

Comments

Bell

[2.7182]

Remember when there was a standard phone design in the old days ? Well At&t had a hard plastic version that was biodegradable in the early 80's as I recall.

Sprout Flowers

[CastrTroy]

I didn't RTFA, but for some reason, I'm pretty sure this doesn't apply to the battery. Which is probably one of the more toxic parts of the phone.

How about building a phone that lasts more than 1 year. Or supplying a battery for the phone that costs little enough so that buying a whole new phone isn't an attractive option. If you told someone in 1950 that not only most people have portable phones in 50 years, but that they'd spend over $200 on this phone, and replace it ever year, they'd probably laugh in your face.

Manufacturers already take back old phones

[frinkster]

That Global Ethics press release is dated 2002. I'm not sure when exactly many of the mobile phone operators started their collection programs, but I can remember them occuring when I replaced my first mobile phone and that was more than 2 years ago. You see, all mobile phones have the capability (well, some Samsung models of a few years ago were unable and Samsung paid the price through a lawsuit) to place emergency calls whether they are activated or not. Manufacturers periodically collect old phones to donate to such places as women's shelters who then distribute them to battered women in need of an emergency phone. I'm sure the manufacturers receive a huge tax deduction for this act of charity.

Anyway, if you do not want to wait for a local collection event, you can go to Motorola's web site and print out a postage-paid sticker and you can mail them your old phone. If it is in good shape it may end up helping someone in need and if not, they make sure it is disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way. And as far as I can tell, Motorola collects any mobile phone, not just Motorola phones.

http://promo.motorola.com/recycle/phones/index.htm l

Re:Plant a Mac

[IGnatius T Foobar]

Plant your PC/Mac and watch a house grow?"

Clearly, planting an Apple computer will produce an apple tree.
Planting a Sun computer would probably produce sunflowers.
Planting an SGI computer would probably produce Hollywood-quality cartoon plants.

Planting a Windows machine would probably end up getting your yard declared a Superfund site.