South Korean mobile manufacturer Samsung is taking green to another level - as they introduce their new solar-powered mobile phone. The touchscreen mobile is made from PCM, a plastic created from recycled water bottles, and the phone has a variety of eco-friendly aspects that make it unique.

The Samsung Blue Earth boasts an 'eco' mode, which monitors back screen brightness, backlight duration and Bluetooth usage. The phone also boasts the interesting 'eco walk' application - a built-in pedometer that tells users how much CO2 emission they've saved by walking rather than driving. But the big draw to the Blue Earth model is the solar panel on the back, which industry website Engadget reports can charge the phone sufficiently to make a call whenever the sun's out. Design wise, Samsung says the appeal of the phone's look is that it "symbolises a flat and well-rounded shiny pebble."

The phone will be sold in recycled packaging and with an energy efficient charger. Samsung is not the only manufacturer to boast an environmentally-friendly charger, as mobile network O2 has announced a collaboration with UK mobile networks - including Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson - that will see a universal charger released to cut electricity usage and slash wasted power.

The price of the phone has not been released, but it's thought that those looking to buy the enviro-phone can look forward to its release in the second half of this year. Motorola also recently announced an eco-friendly mobile.

The Motorola W233 is made from recycled plastic and the company offsets the energy required to make the phone through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation efforts.