Sony Ericsson has shown off a green concept phone with biodegradable components as part of a move towards environmentally-conscious practices, punctuated by its announcement of a worldwide recycling program for its products. The GreenHeart concept phone is designed to show off green technologies that may find their way into the company's other products: its shell is formed from bio-derived plastic, its keypad comes from recycled sources, and its charger draws only 3.5 milliwatts of power when not charging the phone, for users who don't simply unplug the unused cord. Sony Ericsson also showcased greener packaging for the phone, including an electronic-only copy of the manual. While the GreenHeart tech may take some time to enter product lines, the company has already begun its global recycling effort; any of its product can be taken to one of 500 designated collection centers where Sony Ericsson will recycle it responsibly.

[Via Engadget Mobile, image courtesy of Mobile Cowboys]