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Mobile phone manufacturers don't come off too well when you start looking at environmental issues.

Here are just two examples of why.

One - we have a tendency to buy a new phone and shove the old one in a drawer rather than pass it on to a worthy cause. How many spare mobiles do you need?

Two - the materials used to make mobiles are difficult to recover and can be harmful to the environment.

Nokia has decided to tackle the second of these in the shape of the 3110 Evolve. This is a remodelling of the 3110 and you shouldn't confuse this review of the 3110 Evolve with any other 3110 incarnations you see out there. If it doesn't have the word ‘Evolve' in the name, this review does not apply.

As I write I can only find the 3110 Evolve available to buy SIM free. It'll cost you £149 at the Nokia online store, for example.

The eco-credentials of this mobile boil down to the following: The phone's casing is created from more than 50 percent renewable materials. The packaging is small using 60 percent recycled materials and is fully recyclable. The charger minimises its ‘no load' energy consumption. That means if you forget to unplug your mobile when it is fully charged, it'll draw minimal energy.

Now, I don't think these are huge advances, to be honest. The 3110 Evolve still has a battery (a recycling nightmare), and the usual internal components for example. And recyclable packaging should be a legal requirement rather than a pleasant surprise.

I don't see any notification that the printed user guide is on recycled paper. Maybe it is, but if so the fact is not trumpeted by Nokia. Text in the guide states that it only covers the ‘essential functions' of the phone in order to cut down on paper use and says a full guide can be found online. (Just don't print it out!)

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