HP has announced that their EnergyStar Pavilion dv6929 laptop will be packaged in recycled-content messenger bags instead of the traditional cardboard boxes. As a result, they’ve won Wal-Mart’s Home Entertainment Design Challenge, a contest open to all suppliers of consumer electronics products that focused on good design and innovative packaging design that facilitates reducing, reusing, and recycling.

HP claims that by using their method of packaging, they’ve reduced standard laptop packaging waste by 97%, eliminating most cardboard and styrofoam traditionally utilized. The bag itself is constructed of 100% recycled materials. This method of packaging also allows HP to ship four laptops per standard sized shipping box as opposed to three when using traditional laptop packaging. This might not sound like a lot, until you think of it this way: more efficient shipping means one out of four trucks hauling this product can be eliminated, saving emissions and fuel usage. The laptop comes with a voucher to recycle whatever laptop one’s new purchase is replacing, as well.

The bad news is that this version of the laptop will exclusively be sold at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club, two stores that despite recent advances in sustainability, are still boycotted by many in the environmental world. There’s also grumblings that the packaging is still wasted if you don’t use the stylish bag, although I know plenty of resale shops, thrift stores, and online swap sites that would gladly take this bag off one’s hands if they prefer another.

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