In Search of a Greener Gadget

Global giants and creative startups unleash eco-friendly technology.

ByABC News
January 12, 2009, 11:54 AM

Jan. 12, 2009— -- As concerns about the environment mount, technology companies large and small are responding to the call for greener electronics.

At this year's annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, more exhibitors than ever before displayed environmentally-friendly products.

Although hard numbers are not available, CES organizer Tim Herbert, senior director of research for the Consumer Electronics Association, estimated that the number of green products and services had increased tenfold over last year.

He pointed to the new Motorala Moto W233 Renew phone, made from recycled plastic bottles, and a new routing service, EcoRoute, from GPS company Garmin, that plots directions for the most fuel-efficient course, as two of many devices targeting eco-minded consumers.

Although some confusion exists about what "green" actually means, Herbert's research indicates that most consumers believe companies should do more to protect the environment.

ABCNews.com walked the floor at CES to see what's new in green technology. Here's a sampling of what we found: