MAR 11

Using bamboo even though it is questionable whether it is environmentally more reasonable than plastic but surely appears to be "greener" than plastic is a NICE symbolic statement? How about marketing a product that has potential benefits in an honest way rather than trying to appear green on the surface while sneaking in the real benefits. Who are they trying to sell the product to? Those who REALLY CARE or those who like to appear green but not think about whether it is actually true?

Sustainability is not about appearance and if it stays about appearance the changes that need to occur will appear to turn into reality.

Karsten
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http://www.polluteless.com
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Living on Earth:
Sufficient resources - Wasteful existence - 6.5 Billion humans; Preserve two and abandon the third.
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The highly (chemically?) treated bamboo is non-flammable, lightweight, and, unlike every other computer out there, not made from petrochemicals.

Except for all the computers with metal cases. There are plenty of computers with recyclable cases.

It seems that all anyone does in the comments on this site is complain. It's like you all are more interested in showing everyone that "you are more green than everyone else" rather than offering constructive criticism that promotes healthy discussion. If you are really interested in solutions and not just promoting your image than please stop with all the criticism every time an article is posted and try to see the positive side of things. Help us be a community that finds and promotes solutions, not just one that complains.

Oh, and btw, there is a lot to be said for efforts in changing public perception. The majority of Americans (I can't speak for the rest of the western world) still don't get this idea of sustainability, we are a culture of consumers. So why is it bad when a company promotes green thinking? It's a step in the right direction isn't it? This is a large ship that takes a long time to change direction, every step (as small as they might seem, helps.

I mean, why they let the bamboo without color? They really could make a nice coat of paint (green, non toxic of course... ;D ). This would not be so eye catching, but they could just say it in the Pub, right? :'( Like this - it's more evident, but not Everyonle like to have a laptop looking green...

Vladan
www.best-solar-energy.com

The link posted in the context of bamboo not being so green after all isn't really relevant. It's talking about bamboo that's processed into Rayon and Viscose, which is an entirely different process to what's going on here.

The highly (chemically?) treated bamboo is non-flammable, lightweight, and, unlike every other computer out there, not made from petrochemicals.

But what about those chemicals you mention? Are they made from petrochemicals?

A question on the Durability of Bamboo vs. Plastic. Every single portable electronic device I own tends to take a beating, this includes laptops. Accidental 3 foot drops and so on. How will these bamboo cases stand up vs. a plastic one? Add in scratch resistance and a few other things, if you could. Personally, I'm a fan of metal cases for durability, especially for screen protection. (I've broken 3 LCD laptop screens in the past 13 years)

And don't tell me I (or anyone else who complains) have little reason to do so. Some people complained about child abuse and rape. I complain about other violators. The situation we are in sucks and half-ass solutions, solutions that only appear to be a solution, or attempts to green-wash a product will create plenty of reasons for no-action or just are not enough to change what needs to be changed, or create more damage while being perceived as benefits.

This said, go to my website read the hundreds of ideas on how to reduce your impact on this planet and then accuse me of not being constructive or making a positive contribution. You may not like to read what is there since I will point out what actions actually have an impact, but that is just the way it is. To clean a big mess you use a broom, not a toothbrush.

A eco-geeky technology product should not look chic - it should work and be ecologically sound. When geekism turns toward fashion it turned too shallow to still be of substance.

Karsten
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http://www.polluteless.com
Practical Advice to Pollute Less

Its the same old argument just with bamboo but my question is does it improve efficiency of the computer by drawing out heat and keeping it cooler. If it makes the computer run hotter and consume more energy, well, it is then worse than plastic.
God I hate symbolism...

Of course, people can complain about what ever they want. It's their choice. They've picked a stance and should stick with it, if it makes sense to them.

My question about this, and every "new" technology regarding green-ing things up, is have we truly considered how it's exploitation would effect the world? It seems like now days, someone sees an idea and markets' it like crazy, but never really thought about it. Reference the water motor from a week ago. The article claimed that any stream, with moderate force, could run this motor. So we block up or divert a stream? Not to say it's all together a bad idea, just maybe we should really think things through. (Which is one of the great things about the internet and blogs, a dialogue can be started about something and discussed. I'll be the first to admit I don't know or think of everything)

It (back to the Bamboo) is definitely an interesting idea, and anything to move away from plastics, as long as it is comparable, has my vote.

Isn't that really the case here? One is a lesser of two evils? Come on and lighten up. Get off your high horse and if it really bothers you that much, don't buy one. Make your own pc case and accesories out of recycled tires or something. You hippies need to stop taking such an evangelistic and tyranical approach to making the commercial world more environment friendly. ever heard the expression, "more flies with honey?" you can't jump down someone's throat and hold a knife to everyone else's and expect positive feedback. Seriously, give your two cents like an adult human being and leave it at that. Besides, I think it looks sexy. ;)

I can't wait to get my hands on one of these! They really are unique and make a bold statement....I wonder if apple will follow suit?

Nice idea, but what will the consequences be? Pandas feed on bamboo, so by buying one of these EcoBooks you're indirectly killing off the few remaining panda bears. Similarly, people thought bio fuels were great, until they noticed that the corn pricing are getting too high for the Mexicans to afford their tortillas.

Please note that the over-simplification here is intentional. The point I am trying to make is that sustainability is about buying less, not about doing the same thing slightly differently. We need to start thinking in systems. As someone else said on this blog, the greenest gadget is the one that you don't buy.

Cheers,

Martin

It Looks damn goodand even they should have introduced the keys with Banboos

The voices telling us about eco-friendly laptops are getting louder, but so far they sound, to put it mildly, boring and unimaginative. These devices scream “I am ecology-friendly!”, but are they really? One wooden laptop born means one tree dead. With so many wooden designs today it’s high time to consider some other options.
http://smart-parts.net/blog/?p=279

well, im not sure about the actual product, but bamboo IS more sustainable than other trees. It only takes about 48 days for a bamboo to fully grow, meenwhile it takes 48 YEARS for another type of tree to grow, and those trees have more animals who use them as homes. now if the bamboo was organically and locally grown, without being an invasion to local plants, or course, than that would definitely be better

Shopping the cheap battery,you can see from here.