What? A computer made of cardboard?

As I was perusing yahoo! green and ecogeek, I came across this startling idea, that is part of the Greener Gadgets Design Competition. Enter “Recompute”, a computer truly designed with sustainability in mind. Instead of plastic, aluminum, or other more questionable materials, the case is made of corrugated cardboard! Going even further (and thereby avoiding greenwashing), the manufacturing process is non-toxic and only three major electronic components are included: a motherboard with processor and memory, a power supply and a hard drive.

I really like that the Recompute was created (whether intentionally or not) using  “Heirloom Culture” principles; an article I highly suggest you read… Instead of including or requiring a new keyboard, mouse, and other peripherals that usually work for years; the Recompute is designed to utilize keyboards, mice and other hardware from old computers by connecting them to the eight available USB ports.

Finally, the Recompute is easily disassembled so that the parts can be effortlessly recycled. It is quite a feat to design a product from cradle to cradle, yet the Recompute aims to be a fully sustainable computer from manufacturing to recycling at the end of its life.

Combine the cradle to cradle principles with those of heirloom culture, and we may well be on our way to a positive cultural evolution!

Best of all, the computer not only looks great and is deeply green, but it works!