Break out the lentils and granola bars people: Samsung has just launched the most eco-friendly handset ever.

The Samsung Reclaim is a full-function Qwerty slider manufactured from 80% recycled materials, including a corn-based plastic bio-material shell. Appropriately the Reclaim comes in any colour you want – provided it’s green. Other features include 3G, 2 mega pixel camera and Bluetooth. Plus it’s even got built-in ring tones of crickets, streams, and chirping birds. Seriously!

Although the Reclaim is currently only available in the United States, this hippie-friendly tree-hugger of a handset is sure to head our way soon.

But wait, as they say on Verimark adds, there’s more:

Even the packaging is fully recyclable, made from untreated cardboard and natural soy-based ink. Every purchase includes a donation to an environmental charity. And the charger? Well, it consumes 12 times less power than a conventional charger. (With Eskom’s new fees that could save you a lot of money.)

The Reclaim makes sense on many levels. For one, it could be a huge seller as increasing numbers of customers are concerned about the environment and are looking at purchasing goods that match their values. And, of course, producing goods that are less harmful to our planet is good news for everyone. What’s truly amazing about the Reclaim is that Samsung have found a way to be genuinely eco-friendly and impressively high-tech at the same time.

Maybe this is that handset to lure all those hippies down from the hills. Although don’t expect too many Hummer drivers to buy one.

DANIEL LAMBERTI – Brand Manager: Samsung Mobile