Environmental friendliness and sustainability are pervasive topic these days and “green” is a term that is being applied in countless areas. How about your computer? Recompute has developed what they call the “eco friendly computer workstation.” And it’s made of cardboard. Blasphemy! you scream? Brilliant! you squeal? Either way, it’s an interesting concept—check out this video for a run though. The case is made from multiple layers of food-grade, die-cut, C-flute corrugated cardboard, laminated together with waterproof non-toxic white glue, then treated with a non-toxic UL tested flame retardant. The intent is for the hollow spaces in the corrugated cardboard to dissipate the heat generated by the internal electronics. Linux OS, AMD Athlon II Quad-core 3.0 GHz processor, 500Gb hard drive and 4Gb RAM, among other specs. 2011 model starts at $599.95 USD and depending on options, up to $999.95. Recompute gives a fourteen day trial with a full refund if not satisfied. I’m a Mac guy, but I have to admit that this is intriguing—anyone else?
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So the fact that its full of silicon chips and rare earth stuff is absolutely enviromentally friendly because they replaced a metal case with cardboard. Seems like a bit of a gimmick.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
*sigh* Nearly every time a news item is posted ’round these parts that has any semblance of environmental consciousness, we get similar comments. Will any manufacturer be able to eliminate or even reduce the not-so-green materials in the innards of the machine? Not by an appreciable amount anytime soon. Is going from a plastic and metal case to a cardboard one a gimmick? Maybe. A baby step, perhaps. But at least it’s something. Gimmick or not, if all companies took even small steps in this direction, maybe some demonstrable progress could be made in this whole “green” movement, rather than the just the PR campaign it seems to be (to me, anyway).