Archive for February, 2011

Feb
24

World’s toughest Green IT procurer?

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Stockholm County Council has introduced new stringent environmental requirements for purchasing computers. The new stipulations include low energy consumption, the use of recycled plastic in new products and manufacturers gradually phasing out lead, mercury and halogenated flame retardants. They also insist that all computers should be Energy Star certified and all displays should be certified according to TCO Certified.

These environmental requirements will result in significant environmental benefits. By the end of 2014, the County Council expects to have lessened the climate impact of its personal computers by 40%, reduced the weight of hazardous substances by 8 tonnes and cut the County Council’s carbon dioxide emissions by 2,000 tonnes.

The County Council has about 40,000 PCs in total. It will be one of the first major Swedish enterprises to have mercury-free displays in both laptops and desktop computers. By following Stockholm County Council’s example and having the courage to impose strict environmental requirements for purchasing, all companies and organisations can do a lot to minimise their environmental impact. Read more about Stockholm County Council’s program for sustainable procurement (in Swedish).

Do you know any other inspiring ICT procurer or purhaser that really push the boundaries towards greener and more sustainable IT?
If so, please let me know!

Posted by Birgitta Halvarsson

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Feb
14

When “Green Business” becomes “Business”

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So we’re all reading about companies, communities and households becoming “greener” – which is a good thing of course, right ?  But after attending last weeks State of Green Business Forum hosted by GreenBiz, it seems like more companies and governments are now taking a step further to incorporate “green” into every element of their core business and bottom line results. The idea of “green” or “environment” as a stand-alone entity is fading while each aspect of the business works to implement more sustainable practices in their everyday operations.

We heard from Nike’s Lorrie Vogel on how a design initiative based on PET bottles resulted in Nike’s best ever soccer jersey. Bob Langert of McDonalds discussed how minor reductions in materials use in napkins and straws led to huge savings on transport and distribution costs. City of Chicago’s Commissioner for Environment, Suzanne Malec-McKenna was also a passionate advocate for how “green” is now one aspect contributing to the overall success of every city-wide initiative: housing, office energy consumption and education for example.  It seems like the concept of “Green Business” is evolving to where sustainable practices are determining bottom line results.

Posted by Clare Hobby

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