So the other night, my boyfriend and I walked into Best Buy to look around. I was instantly blown away by the choices involved in buying a new HDTV. Most of them were Energy Star rated. But beyond that, there was nothing to let me know what was eco-friendly, and what was the equivalent of buying a Three Mile Island-style television. Luckily, all that now changes with the release of Greenopia’s comprehensive guide to green TVs. Because Greenopia has rated the eco-friendliness of all major TV manufacturers! 

 

“The environmental impact associated with televisions is really staggering, not only because the average American watches around 5 hours of TV a day, but also because of the hazardous materials used in their production,” said Gay Browne, CEO and founder of Greenopia. “We wanted to support the companies who had not only minimized their ecological footprints, but also the ones who are phasing out these chemicals.”

 

Greenopia used a comprehensive set of criteria to determine the TV manufacturer ratings. Data was collected in regards to the reporting, production, toxicity, logistics, energy consumption, and “take back” program of each company. Greenopia also looked at who was phasing out the use of hazardous materials.

 

Who scored the highest? Samsung and Sony who both received three out of a possible four leaves. Samsung has reduced the number of parts needed for their TVs, thus reducing the production impact associated with their production. They have a large lumber of Energy Star certified TVs, meaning they are about 30% more efficient than traditional TVs. Meanwhile, Sony has made great strides in minimizing its production impact. This includes material minimization, using recycled inputs, reducing packaging, and imposing an efficient transportation structure.

 

What to do with your old TV? Samsung and Sony will take care of it for you. “We were really happy to see Samsung and Sony offering free take-back programs for their products at end of life,” said Doug Mazeffa, Greenopia’s Research Director. “We hope companies like Toshiba, Sharp, and LG will follow suit and continue to strengthen their programs in the future.”

 

And once you buy the new TV, be sure to calibrate it in the most energy efficient manner. This guide will show you how to set up your new HDTV to save up to $50 a year on your energy bill! 

 

To find out who carries the greenest HDTVs near you, check out Greenopia’s local green business directories.