Today, April 22, 2024, is what’s known as Earth Day when the country comes together to shed light on the importance of sustainability and being good to our planet. The theme this year is Planet vs. Plastic, with a goal of encouraging a reduction in plastic usage such that we realize a total 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040. Not only are plastics harmful to all living creatures, they also result in tons of pollution.
Companies are already taking steps to reduce their use of plastics in product packaging and take other measures to create products that are made from recyclable materials, either in whole or part. Yes, this is possible across the technology sector, too. Here are just a few tech products that focus on sustainability.
Urbanista Solar-Powered Products
Urbanista makes a line of innovative solar-powered audio products, including wireless earbuds, a portable Bluetooth speaker, and headphones. Since these devices gain power from the sun (you can plug them in to charge if necessary), it’s one less product to plug in regularly and draw energy. Plus, they can come in handy when you don’t have power, like on a camping trip, or if your main device is drained of its charge. But keep in mind these aren’t just back-up audio products: they boast impressive specs, too.
I reviewed the Urbanista Phoenix Solar true wireless earbuds ($200, $100 on sale) last year, and they’re a solid option for outdoorsy folks and those who care about the environment. Urbanista products are distributed in Canada by Erikson Consumer.
House of Marley Stir It Up Wireless Turntable
An Earth-friendly list of tech gadgets would never be complete without an entry from House of Marley, the brand that puts eco-friendliness at the centre of everything that it does. Working in collaboration with Bob Marley’s family, this limited-edition turntable is developed in partnership with the biopic Bob Marley: One Love. It has the movie title and a product number laser-etched on the bamboo plinth. Only 250 of them were made, so grab one before they’re gone as a gift for a Marley fan who will treasure it and spin the reggae records on repeat. From an eco standpoint, the turntable is made with REGRIND silicone, REWIND fabric, recycled plastic, and recyclable aluminum. Get it for $350.
Clckr Phone Cases, Stands, and Grips
The first thing I noticed when I opened up the clckr phone stand + grip that I reviewed earlier this year is that it was super easy to open without the need for any plastic, nor knives or scissors to cut through it. Clckr, distributed in Canada by Erikson Consumer, is committed to this with all its products, which come in easy to open packaging and are also made from recycled plastic. Given that today’s latest phones come in such funky colours you want to show off, a great gift or item for yourself is a transparent case that lets its beauty shine through. Clckr has some great ones, including ones with built-in stands that double as grips so you can protect your phone, secure it in your hand, and prop it up. Pricing varies depending on the product, but you can get most of them for under $60.
Otterbox Cactus Leather Phone Cases
Apple announced that it was doing away with all leather accessories, and Otterbox found a clever way to honour this while still offering an elegant leather-like solution: cactus leather cases. Introduced at CES 2024 earlier this year, the cases are made from cactus plants while the plant is still alive and absorbing CO2. They are soft and durable like leather, even meeting military standards for drop protection. They also have built-in magnets for connecting to MagSafe chargers. They will be available for the new iPhone models this Spring for US$60 ea., so stay tuned: if they aren’t available yet by the time you read this, rest assured that they’re coming.
Targus ErgoFlip EcoSmart Mouse
Yes, there can be innovation in the mouse category, and there is with the Targus ErgoFlip EcoSmart mouse in several ways. First, it’s designed sustainably, made of 85% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. It also comes in packaging made from Global Recycled Standard (GRS)-certified materials. Since it uses ultra-low power Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), it operates with reduced power consumption.
But a feature that lefties (like me!) will appreciate is that it can easily convert from right- to left-handed use by simply twisting the top and flipping it over. Another appreciated feature is the antimicrobial treatment that creates a cleaner surface, ideal if it’s being used in a shared workspace setting.
JBL Go 3 Eco Portable Bluetooth Speaker
If you want a tiny Bluetooth speaker to bring along that provides powerful sound, the JBL Go 3 Eco is the perfect combination of big sound, small package, and eco-friendly design. Available in three fun colours, it offers a respectable five hours of playtime per charge, wireless Bluetooth streaming from your devices, and an integrated loop for securing it to your backpack, belt, or bike handles. But what really makes it worthy of this list is that the speaker is made from up to 90% post-consumer recycled plastic, while the speaker grille is wrapped in 100% recycled fabric. It still maintains a fully waterproof and dustproof design as well. It’s just $40 on sale ($50 regular price). JBL products are available to dealers in Canada through Erikson Consumer.
Ember Mug 2
If you’re like me and have coffee every morning, you might also be like me and forget to finish it once you become engrossed in your work. This often leads to microwaving my black coffee at least once each morning so it’s piping hot to the last drop. Those on the go probably use a thermal mug of some kind. The Ember Mug 2 is expensive at $200, but it’s the perfect gift for the Earth-loving java drinker. It will help reduce waste since they aren’t dumping half a cup of cold coffee down the sink, and encourages them to reduce energy usage by avoiding the 25-second microwave every hour to keep it hot. Available in 10 oz. and 14 oz. sizes, the smart mug keeps coffee at the ideal drinking temperature for up to 1.5 hours (80 minutes for the 14 oz. version) using its built-in battery. It can be hand washed and intelligently senses when to turn on and off. Control the temperature to your exact desired degree in the Ember app. From home office workers to teachers, the Ember Mug 2 is a welcome Earth Day gift.
Kobo Elipsa 2E
For the bookworm, the Kobo Elipsa 2E ($500) has a more than 85% recycled plastic exterior, including 10 per cent ocean-bound plastic. Equipped with a 10.3-inch glare-free E-ink touchscreen, the ComfortLight Pro reduces blue light and eyestrain, while there’s even a dark mode for reading at night so you don’t have to leave the lights on. It also comes with the Kobo Stylus 2 for making annotations and more as you read. Use it to organize notebooks, which can be exported to cloud services like Dropbox. With 32GB storage, you can store thousands of ebooks, reducing paper and clutter. It can run for weeks per charge as well, so this isn’t a device you need to charge up nightly. With built-in speakers, you can listen to audiobooks, too.
Pair it with the SleepCover, which is made of 97% recycled plastic, including 10% ocean-bound plastic that would otherwise become landfill and ocean waste. Even the packaging is free of magnets, made with FSC-certified recycled paper, and printed with soy ink.
Apple Watch Series 9 Smartwatch
Yes, the Apple Watch is, or rather can be, an eco-friendly option. If you choose any aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 with the new Sport Loop, it’s fully carbon neutral. Starting at $549, grab it in 41mm or 45mm sizes and enjoy all the usual Apple Watch features, including health and wellness tracking, safety features, call, message, and app notifications, and more. Pair it with Apple Fitness+ to enjoy guided walking workouts, exercise at home, and more. Look for the carbon neutral label on the box to make sure you pick the right one.