Telefónica and Nokia have launched what they describe as ‘the first totally green mobile phone offer’. It’s being launched in Spain and will later be introduced into the UK.

Google moves even further into the telecoms space, O2 introduces 'eco ratings' and some of technology's biggest names go shopping. All this - plus the possibility of mobile phones made from nut shells - is discussed in this week's UK mobile industry podcast from Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge.

O2 has launched what it's describing as "the first ever eco rating system for mobile phones in the UK. It's persuaded six of the largest handset manufacturers to participate - Nokia, Sony Ericsson, HTC, LG, Samsung and Palm – and has placed the Sony Ericsson Elm top out of the 65 mobiles it surveyed, giving it an 4.3 out of 5 (86%) Eco rating.

Last February the European Commission said it wanted to see a universal charger introduced for mobile phones. It's a move that was supported by the GSMA, the ITU, the CTIA and a number of manufacturers.

The EC now says it expects the micro-USB socket to be used for charging on new phones from 2011. This will be standard on all new phones that are fitted with a mini-USB socket for data transfer with a PC.

UK Crime Prevention Minister James Brokenshire has announced a new mobile industry code of practice that's designed to stop stolen phones being recycled for cash.

90% of handsets reported stolen in the UK are now blocked across all networks within 48 hours of reporting, making them virtually useless to criminals trying to sell them within the UK. However, until now it's been possible to sell these phones to recycling companies.