The "Green Ranking" by world-lovin' Greenpeace rates the world's consumer electronics industry to determine which company, in quarterly periods, is the most eco-friendly. After returning CEO Michael Dell challenged other electronics manufacturers to provide "takeback" policies on throw-away, useless hardware, it seems that China's laptop brand Lenovo outgreened just about everybody else, except itself.

Now while takeback policies aren't exactly new, only EU member nations have strictly enforced the recycle old hardware policy by asking electronics companies to offer discounts on newer hardware purchases as old, unusable parts were traded in. Greenpeace hopes that companies will adopt this policy worldwide, as did Dell.

Sony (and Sony-Ericsson) are now also complying with chemicals for silicon doping and fire resistance with their elimination of beryllium and phthalates. Unfortunately for Earth-lovers and Captain Planet, only 14 companies are currently included in the rankings.

As a big surprise to all, Lenovo, a China-based firm for electronics and mobile computing, has leaped from last place to top place, despite the massive amounts of e-waste that are generated in China. Greenpeace's International Toxic Campaigner Iza Kruszewska said:

Given the growing mountains of e-waste in China - both imported and domestically generated – it is heartening to see a Chinese company taking the lead, and assuming responsibility at least for its own branded waste. The challenge for the industry now is to see who will actually place greener products on the market.

Lenovo could possibly lose the number one spot if the next product that it puts out to market is not free from the worst of chemicals. The top five most eco-friendly of e-companies are as follows:

1. Lenovo
2. Nokia
3. Sony Ericsson
4. Dell
5. Samsung

The ranking takes into consideration the equal treatment of all customers, so if any double-faced takeback policies have been reported, companies suffer rank drops all across the boards. Unfortunately, Apple is the last of all the companies. But good news: Apple hasn't dropped a spot ever since!

If there's anything Sony doesn't want to remember in the history of its notebook battery production, it's this year's outburst of some really bad news: A Dell notebook with a Sony battery caught fire in Japan.

Lately, it's not only Fujitsu that has announced global recall for Sony's batteries. Lenovo/IBM has joined the ranks of Dell, Apple, and Toshiba. As we know, three airlines have already put a restriction against laptops being brought in the airports and planes as a result of another Lenovo ThinkPad bursting into flames at a Los Angeles airport just last week. And yes, it's because of Sony batteries.

A quick estimate of Sony's losses will amount to US$ 560 million, out of its expected US$ 1.1 billion profits in half this year. That's US$ 340 million for a global recall of some 10 million lithium ion notebook PC batteries and US$ 220 million worth of price slash for the PS3. Unfortunately, the figure could rise further if the PC vendors or consumers take legal action against Sony. So put two and two together, and we're watching 560 million of 'em greenbacks slowly burn to ashes.

Last week, Sony has already planned to consult with OEM customers for their own battery recall. If your battery is a Sony that hasn't already been exchanged, it's best to watch out for news from your notebook manufacturer.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission officials have placed all Sony-made lithium-ion batteries in laptop computers under review for possible fire hazards after Dell announced the recall of 4.1 million notebook batteries made by Sony. The largest electronic recall in the history of the U.S. was due to the overheating of the battery that could catch fire. A Sony battery involved in the recall caused a Dell laptop to burst into in flames in Japan earlier this year.

"We are looking at the complete scope of the batteries made by Sony to ensure that no other consumers are in harm's way," said the agency. "We recognize that the batteries manufactured by Sony are not unique to just the Dell notebook computers." The Sony batteries are also used in laptops manufactured by Hewlett-Packard, Apple, and the Lenovo Group Ltd.

While the review focuses on laptops, lithium ion batteries are also also used in cellphones, digital cameras, camcorders, and music players. The safety commission is encouraging companies and consumers to report potential defects in other devices using the battery cells.

Dell's recall covers Sony laptop batteries sold from April 2004 through July 18 of this year, including 2.7 million units in the United States.

If you're still wondering why Toshiba and Sony are at it each others' throats in the HD-DVD vs. Blue-ray War, it's because the winner will take all.  The company who emerges with the next standard for next-gen optical storage brings home the royalties bacon. The loser becomes a footnote in the History of Technology. Or let's put it this way: what ever happened to the Betamax?

Unfortunately for both companies, the decision on who gets the prize is not in their hands. Some analysts said the porn industry will have the last say on this.  But PC makers think PCs could be the Waterloo or the Little Big Horn for one of them. Howard Locker, director of new technology at China's Lenovo Group, says "The three major suppliers of the players of these new next-generation discs will be the PC industry, consumer electronics and gaming machines," Locker said. "If you look at the volumes, PCs are now more than 50 percent of that total space, so we'll have a big say on who wins."

At this point, many PC makers are doing a Switzerland, refusing to take sides. Even Lenovo, the world's third-biggest computer manufacturer, is taking a wait-and-see approach, keeping friendly with both camps but pledging allegiance to neither. Not  just yet. Other industry giants are not as indecisive.  Dell, the world's biggest PC maker, is  committed to Blu-ray, while No.2 Hewlett-Packard will support both standards. Ditto with Acer and Asustek.  Although they showed off notebook models with HD DVD drives Computex 2006, the companies plan to support Blu-ray when drives become available. (See Philips, Lite-on, BenQ Spin Out Blu-ray Drives)  Industry insiders at Computex are giving the advantage to Toshiba in terms of market readiness because its HD-DVD technology is about a half year ahead of Sony's. 

Just one more thing... do consumers, that means those of us who will be paying for all of these, have a say in this?