From wireless mics to battery-powered lights, remotes and some cameras, we use lots of disposable batteries in the video-producing world, as well as in other areas of our day-to-day lifestyle. Unfortunately, disposable batteries are bad for the environment, and proper disposal techniques aren’t always available, so we guiltily drop the dead batts into the trash with the rest of the garbage. We know about disposal facilities, but not all towns offer them nor make their use very convenient. The Fuji company has come up with FujiEnviroMAX batteries that have no harmful elements, like mercury and cadmium, are landfill-safe and are packaged using recycled materials instead of the PVC plastic many packaging materials carry. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you frustrated by overkill plastic packaging that’s impossible to open? The annoying plastic casings we’re familiar with are designed to stop counterfeiting, tampering and theft, while ensuring visibility of the product and brand. But, besides being so difficult to open, the costs to create and assemble the packaging are often more than those of the product itself.
MeadWestvaco Corporation (www.meadwestvaco.com) has a solution that eliminates a lot of the plastic, freeing the planet of needless waste and freeing our hands from the cuts and scratches as we attempt to open these plastic cocoons. Read the rest of this entry »

ViewSonic, makers of electronics like TVs, monitors and digital signage, has seen the mounting tons of electronic waste filling landfills every year and is working towards being a part of the solution instead of the problem. ViewSonic representatives say that all of their displays released since last summer feature a power-saving mode, which should give the user up to 56% savings in energy costs. The electronic billboards and LCD TVs now use up 40% less power than plasma TVs of the same size. Read the rest of this entry »