Consumer electronics report has good and bad news

If you’re looking to buy a new gadget, but want to figure out which brand is greenest, you’re in luck. The Consumer Electronics Association has released its first Environmental Sustainability Report showing how major electronic companies stack up when it comes to sustainability.

The report covers a wide range of devices and examines companies like Dell, Nokia, Intel and Hewlett-Packard based on design, energy conservation, manufacturing, delivery strategies and charitable practices.

The report is a mixture of good and bad news. In the past four years, companies saw a reduction in electricity use of 5-25% per one million dollars in revenue. but greenhouse gas emissions have increased by an average of 15% per one million dollars in revenue. A total of 69 percent report active recycling programs but only 38 percent report reusing electronics whether whole or in part.

All companies have introduced more energy-efficient products, notably monitors, which have shown a 30 percent energy consumption reduction compared to older models.

The most interesting information is the brand-specific data. You can check out the full report here (PDF).