Don't bother designing green anymore?

What is the difficulty you're finding in designing a green product?  Its nearly impossible to even find non-RoHs pats anymore, the lower power consumption that you've already mentioned is a given, many contract manufacturers don't want to build a product that has lead so they don't contaminate their production lines.  I am interested in how this impacts anybody really negatively?

Getting past some of Derek's less constructive commentary - there is new technology for coal-power generators that make burning coal a lot more cleaner than before.  Unfortunately many coal mines have shut down because oil is easier to extract, but there are still vast reserves of coal.  Solar really gets me though.  The chemicals and the amount of energy that go into producing solar panels is astonishing.

I think people are talking about saving the planet through reducing energy consumption and hence carbon footprint, not really considering banned substances.

I'd say the green aspect of lead-free components is moot. Lead is toxic in chemical compound form as used in paint on childrens' toys and in anti-knock petrol additives and was quite rightly banned from both. I would be fascinated to be proved wrong but I would have thought that the lead content of leachate from land-fill is harmless. Not so for every chemical, but lead, well it isn't exactly the most soluble metal, is it? That's why we used to use it for pipes. For drinking water!

Lead-free IS a nuisance. For one thing, the jury is still out with regard to tin whiskers and for another the higher reflow temperatures have definitely taken their toll. In two products to my personal knowledge. One was some LEDs which cracked when reflowed, the other was some capacitors that melted.

There are, of course, several other things that ROHS banned but we don't have any option about those. My hopes were raised when they banned PCBs ages ago - until I found out it referred to some horribly toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons, not to circuit boards.

As for burning coal cleanly: there is nothing can be done about the fact that 95% or more of the chemical reaction is C + O2 = CO2. Modern plant may squeeze a few percent more energy out but that's about it. The CO2 has to go somewhere and really there's no alternative but to store it unchanged - either underground, or possible deep sea. It's not trivial to do, but if we do it - or take the more sensible route of using nuclear energy - then what excuse will the Greenies have to beat us up about energy consumption?

So, sorry if my comments are less constructive. I stand by what I said. We have massively polluted the planet, principally with carbon dioxide, and are continuing to do so. Messing around with a percent reduction here, five percent there, is not going to help. I don't really care if you feel good about your hi-fi power supply that saves 10W in a household that uses 1000W, the planet will not be impressed until you get that 1000W down to 200W - for everyone on the planet.

I think people are talking about saving the planet through reducing energy consumption and hence carbon footprint, not really considering banned substances.

I'd say the green aspect of lead-free components is moot. Lead is toxic in chemical compound form as used in paint on childrens' toys and in anti-knock petrol additives and was quite rightly banned from both. I would be fascinated to be proved wrong but I would have thought that the lead content of leachate from land-fill is harmless. Not so for every chemical, but lead, well it isn't exactly the most soluble metal, is it? That's why we used to use it for pipes. For drinking water!

Lead-free IS a nuisance. For one thing, the jury is still out with regard to tin whiskers and for another the higher reflow temperatures have definitely taken their toll. In two products to my personal knowledge. One was some LEDs which cracked when reflowed, the other was some capacitors that melted.

There are, of course, several other things that ROHS banned but we don't have any option about those. My hopes were raised when they banned PCBs ages ago - until I found out it referred to some horribly toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons, not to circuit boards.

As for burning coal cleanly: there is nothing can be done about the fact that 95% or more of the chemical reaction is C + O2 = CO2. Modern plant may squeeze a few percent more energy out but that's about it. The CO2 has to go somewhere and really there's no alternative but to store it unchanged - either underground, or possible deep sea. It's not trivial to do, but if we do it - or take the more sensible route of using nuclear energy - then what excuse will the Greenies have to beat us up about energy consumption?

So, sorry if my comments are less constructive. I stand by what I said. We have massively polluted the planet, principally with carbon dioxide, and are continuing to do so. Messing around with a percent reduction here, five percent there, is not going to help. I don't really care if you feel good about your hi-fi power supply that saves 10W in a household that uses 1000W, the planet will not be impressed until you get that 1000W down to 200W - for everyone on the planet.