Greenpeace, the international non-profit organization, recently published their latest rankings of electronics companies from best to worst on a scale of greenness. The organization began ranking electronics companies according to their own standards of environmental responsibility two years ago. (Check out a neat interactive version of all their rankings since they began on their website.) They have ranked eighteen companies on a 1-10 scale quarterly since August, 2006, and regularly publish their findings at greenpeace.org. Their three major criteria for ranking electronics companies are that they:

1. “clean up their products by eliminating hazardous substances”
2. “take back and recycle their products responsibly once they become obsolete” and
3. “reduce the climate impacts of their operations and products”

So far no companies have achieved a perfect “ten.” In fact, no company has ranked much higher than a 5.1, which is what Sony Ericsson received in Greenpeace’s June 25th assessment. Greenpeace cites effective phasing out of toxic chemical waste, but poor provisions for recycling, in calculating Sony’s score. Since Greenpeace is known for its rigorous environmental standards and refusal of governmental or corporate donations (relieving them of obligations to any large, powerful financial or political institution), we as consumers can trust the organization’s evaluations of major electronics companies.

And really, what their rankings tell us (other than how to be more responsible, green consumers), is that even the most conscientious company in the electronics industry is only half way to the environmental ideal. But in this era of ecological instability, any green effort is worth celebrating!