What if the device you’re reading this on were to be made of reclaimed plastics? As aspirational as that picture might be, the reality is that Microsoft is in fact reconsidering its approach towards the use of plastics in its products.

Not too long ago, it joined hands with a Saudi petrochemicals group to launch a mouse made of 20% recycled ocean plastics. The US tech giant had started the project with an objective of creating a resin made from at least 10% recycled ocean plastics. Once the Saudi group joined in, it decided to source the recycled material and formulate a resin that met Microsoft’s quality standards. The result is a mouse with 20% recycled ocean plastics in its external casing or “shell”.

If only the race to grab products with higher recycled content were as vigorous as the one to acquire the latest phone…