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By redesigning packaging for its phone accessories, Sprint expects to save $2.1 million annually in packaging costs. This represents a 35 percent reduction in packaging costs, according to a press release, and a corresponding reduction in 647 tons of waste annually.

Elizabeth Wilmot's parents, like many from the "Greatest Generation," never let anything go to waste: They saved string and wrapping paper and purchased used cars. So perhaps it's not surprising that Elizabeth, a former international marketing executive, would establish a company dedicated to...

Deciding between new or used computers? Here's a rundown on the benefits of buying refurbished equipment:

Today, more than 40 percent of all homes in the United States contain at least one video game console. Recognizing that all that gaming could add up to serious demand for electricity, NRDC and Ecos Consulting performed the first ever comprehensive study on the energy use of video game consoles and found that they consumed an estimated 16 billion kilowatt-hours per year -- roughly equal to the annual electricity use of the city of San Diego. Through the incorporation of more user-friendly power management features, we could save approximately 11 billion kWh of electricity per year, cut our nation's electricity bill by more than $1 billion per year, and avoid emissions of more than 7 million tons of CO2 each year. In this November 2008 issue paper, NRDC provides recommendations for users, video game console manufacturers, component suppliers and the software companies that design games for improving the efficiency of video game consoles already in homes as well as future generations of machines yet to hit the shelves.

Buying gear on eBay or Craigslist is a great way to save money and spare the planet a little e-waste -- especially if you're technical enough to troubleshoot problems that might frustrate a lesser geek into selling short. But be sure you get everything that should come with the machines you buy, a hard-luck lesson Gripe Line reader Bob recently learned. InfoWorld, 11/16/09.

Brian Williams makes the right call to save the environment. Recycle electronics

Cisco, Dell, HP, Motorola, Nokia, Research in Motion, Sprint Nextel and Vodafone, as well as Apple, Inc. have stepped in to fulfill this vital service. A new report from Pike Research, who tracks global clean technology trends, notes that with the implementation of these private sector programs, in conjunction with new government regulations on what can end up in landfills, e-waste will begin to be curtailed in 2016, when recycling practices fully catch up with the growth of personal machinery.