Sustainability Was Hot for Electronics, But How Eco Was CES Itself?

Thousands of electronics companies crowded into the Las Vegas Convention Center for the annual Consumer Electronics Show this past weekend.

What the Consumer Electronics Association dubs as “the coolest trade show on the planet,” CES 2010 was the greenest show of its size on the planet as well.

According to the CEA, green was a major part of CES because "it makes sense financially and is gaining traction within the marketplace." Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

Earth911 got an up-close-and-personal look at the show’s efforts the minute we registered for press passes.

This year, instead of handing out business cards, media members were given an electronic card that vendors could easily swipe and download contact information, reducing the obscene amount of paper passed around and often thrown away.

2010 was also a landmark year for the show as it was completely carbon neutral for the first time. CEA has partnered with NextEra Energy Resources’ EarthEra program to supply renewable energy and carbon offset products to balance the high emissions usually associated with a four-day trade show this size. EarthEra Renewable Energy Trust uses every penny it makes to advance solar and wind power in the U.S.

While major companies at CES were touting sustainability initiatives, small startup retailers can often get lost in the shuffle. But this year, CES gave these small companies a platform in its Sustainable Planet Spotlight section, where Earth911 spent a large chunk of its time.

We were super impressed with the futuristic ideas on display, but a couple of companies really stood out. Read more about our favorites.

Offsetting emissions and reducing the impact of the famous trade show was paramount this year. According to the CEA’s preliminary attendance numbers released on Sunday night, an estimated 120,000 visitors attended the show this year, an increase of about 7,000 visitors from 2009.