Dell gets green points, but Lenovo gets trashed

Dell, Nokia, and HP win top marks today in Greenpeace's ranking of how tech companies manage toxic chemicals and old equipment. The environmental group's Guide to Greener Electronics ranked Lenovo at the bottom of the heap--not far beneath Apple, despite its recently expanded recycling program. Get more dirt by reading Greenpeace's scorecard here.

Dell and HP are also among the few vendors whose products made it to the EPEAT list of eco-friendly computers. Both companies offer good e-waste recycling programs; Dell will even pick up your old goods of any brand for free. Last month, Europe's ROHS rules started forcing global manufacturers to reduce the use of toxic metals and flame retardants in all sorts of gadgets. And in California, your cell phone company now has to take back your unwanted handsets.

Each month, the world's consumers dump millions of tons of poisonous, high-tech trash. At the same time, companies touting cleaner, greener tech are now getting newfound attention and big money; read ongoing coverage here.