The Consumer Electronics Show, known colloquially as CES, is almost upon us. It starts next week not from a packed hall of geeks in Vegas hotels, but in a virtual way with lots of speakers, events and launches lined up.
One area we will be looking for this year is the rise of the eco-gadgets that are designed not to guzzle up as much power and help reduce an individual’s carbon footprint.
A bit like the new Eco Remote Control which Samsung has announced today will accompany its range of 4K and 8K QLED TVs. It looks like a standard remote, but turn it over and you are greeted by a panel of solar cells which are there to recharge the remote’s internal battery.
Samsung says that the remote, which can last up to seven years, the average life cycle for TV will “reduce tons of plastic waste per year.”
The remote itself is as eco as Samunsg says it can make it being reconstituted from recycled polyethylene terephthalate. If you live in a place where the sun is very shy there’s a USB-C port on the bottom as an alternative.
Samsung is also tweaking its range to be more eco friendly. “By eliminating oil-based ink and expanding eco-friendly packaging to all Lifestyle and QLED TV models, Samsung offers a sustainable solution that can upcycle up to 200,000 tons of boxes a year and turn them into pieces of home decor.”
So the first eco-story of CES 2021 has landed, It won’t be the last.
