Samsung’s Blue Earth, which made its debut at the Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona, is constructed from recycled materials such as used water bottles and the phone, as well as its charger, is free from harmful substances the likes of Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).

 

“Samsung’s Blue Earth is not just another addition to our mobile line-up, but a significant step forward in our commitment to protecting the environment,” said Mr. JK Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of the Mobile Communication Division of Samsung Electronics.

 

The phone utilises an energy efficient charger that minimises power usage during standby mode. This is when it has finished charging but is still attached to the charger and using power from the wallsocket. But even more exciting is the fact that you can charge it via a solar panel located on the back of the phone, meaning you can charge the phone just about anywhere. Even the packaging of the phone carries the eco-responsible theme through as it is made from easy-to-recycle paper and printed using soy ink. 

 

Blue Earth’s software will also champion eco-friendly living by using energy efficient settings for the screen brightness, backlight duration and Bluetooth while in Eco Mode. The Eco Walk function counts your steps as you walk using the built in pedometer and then sets about calculating the reduction in CO2 emissions gained by walking as opposed to driving your car. 

 

Unlike some other phones of this type, the features haven’t been sacrificed in lieu of the planet friendly focus of the phone. It can support microSDHC cards up to 18 GB, has a 3.2 megapixel camera, offers HSDPA connectivity and has a 3" LCD capacitive touch-screen. 

 

The Blue Earth will be available in South Africa from the end of October and will retail at a recommended R3500.