Green IT Edge » tcoeditor

World Usability Day – Thursday Nov 12

tcoeditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:36:42 +0000

“It’s about making our world work better and developing technologies in a way that serves people first” – That’s how the organizers of World Usability Day explain their mission in highlighting best practices in Usability throughout the world on Thursday, Nov 12.

World Usability Day was founded in 2005 as an initiative of the Usability Professionals’ Association to ensure that services and products important to human life are easier to access and simpler to use. Usability is a pillar of the TCO Certified program and this year we will participate in two Usability Day events: in Stockholm, Sweden (www.wud.se) and in the US, at the Headquaters of Sabre / travelocity.

For more about each of these events, or to find a local event in your area, log onto http://www.worldusabilityday.org/

The Greenest Computer Monitor Yet ?

tcoeditor — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:53:47 +0000

OK Green IT enthusiasts, here’s a product worth noticing.

Lenovo ThinkVision L2251x Wide - World First TCO Certified Edge display

Today we’re proud to announce, together with PC maker Lenovo, the launch of the first computer monitor to achieve the groundbreaking TCO Certified Edge award for achievement in environmental and high performance design. The Lenovo ThinkVision L2251x Wide desktop computer display achieved this world first in recognition of its 65 % post consumer recycled plastic content. Including such a high percentage of post consumer plastics has long been a challenge among industry and we at TCO are thrilled to reward this cutting edge achievement. Other eco-friendly features include recycled packaging materials as well as a proximity sensor to save energy when you’re away from the computer.

TCO Certified Edge is a supplemental award open to those products that already meet the worldwide TCO Certified criteria for environment and usability in IT design. The purpose of the award is to identify leading edge products and technologies that go beyond the requirements in existing eco-labeling programs.

Check out full details and product specs in our multimedia press room or login to TCO Development’s website

New leadership at TCO Development – a message from new Managing Director Sören Enholm

tcoeditor — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:24:59 +0000

It’s with a sense of anticipation and opportunity that I join TCO Development. This is an exciting time to be involved in eco-labeling and green technology, withTCO Development uniquely positioned to provide leadership in this rapidly evolving space. In preparation for my new position at TCO I’ve been studying the worlds of ergonomics, environment and eco labeling. With long experience from the IT market I’m used to lots of buzzwords and acronyms, and there are several similarities with the world of product certification. For example, what does”Green IT” really mean? The definition by TCO Development includes both good usability (work environment) and low impact on the natural environment, but others define it only by the latter.

Moreover, we’re seeing a widening range of opinions about problems and solutions connected to IT in the environmental space. For instance, is IT use good or bad for the climate? This and other relevant questions about green and usable technology are vital to providing businesses and consumers with ICT products that truly do make a difference.

I’m looking forward to working with those of you already in our international network and welcome those of you interested in green and usable technology to join the conversation here at GreenITedge. I will blog regularly and look forward to your comments about green and usable products.

Sören Enholm

Managing Director

Product Spotlight – HP LE2201w monitor

tcoeditor — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:43:17 +0000

Check out the newly released LE2201w monitor from HP. Offering the best energy efficiency yet from the HP Essential series large screen monitors. It’s one of three monitors from HP to achieve the new TCO Certified label. Check it ouhttp://www.tcodevelopment.com/tcodevelopmentnew/Info_fran_Tillverkare/HP_LE2201w_DataSheet_June09.pdf

From Think Tank to “Do Tank”

tcoeditor — Fri, 29 May 2009 08:42:06 +0000

I’m here again blogging from the OECD Green IT Conference. In the first session the first day, Larry Hirst, Chariman Europe, Midle East & Africa from IBM said he was partaking in several ”Think Tanks” regarding Green IT and said it was now time to focus on ”Do Tanks”. We need action much more than discussions.

Today this was followed up by a defined focus on urgency amongst the speakers and throughout the discussions. We do not have much time to change the climate impact trend. Also, it is clear that ICT is a key factor for the world to be able to reduce CO2 emissions. Nick Rowley, former senior adviser for Prime Minister Tony Blair said:”the urgency is heavily related to behavior change – going from bold intentions to changed behavior has one important key: the use of ICT. It is needed to reach measurable and verified goals in climate reduction.

There is a great focus on using ICT to reduce climate change. The Smart2020 report (www.smart2020.org) shows that by 2020 the proper use of ICT can reduce CO2 emissions by 15%. At the same time it has been stressed that the ICT industry itself must ”clean its own house” by making every effort to reduce its own impact on the climate. You cannot do the one and ignore the other.

One of the conclusions was the role of public procurement in setting high environmental standards when procuring ICT equipment. Goverment must lead by example, not by words.

Many good ideas have been presented, but one important factor I found missing was the lack of focus on indirect environmental factors of ICT equipment. As I discussed with several of the participants, most were not aware of this factor at all, such as ergonomics, general quality, and designed for future use (not just now).

This conference will hopefully bring on an imprtant message to the Climate Conference in Copenhagen in december 2009.

Erich Must Wessel

Blogger for TCO Development

Helsingör, Denmark

50% pain and 50% opportunity…

tcoeditor — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:29:39 +0000

I am currently participating on the 2-day OECD conference on how ICT can improve the environmental performance and mitigate climate change in all sectors of the economy. Around 230 high-level experts and government representatives have gathered to develop some solutions. Some of the highlights as I see it has been the emphasis on the need for investment in education and R&D regarding Green IT – both to reduce the environmental impact of ICT and using ICT reduce other kinds of environmental impact. “The global economic crisis is 50 % pain and 50 % opportunity”, said Esko Aho, former prime minister of Finland who lead the country through a similar local crisis.

Another interesting point made by Marcus Courtney from Union Network International was that a significant part of the problem is that 75 % of all ICT equipment manufacturing is outsourced to low cost countries where there is less control with environmental factors and labor rights. We need producers who can guarantee and document that they meet both environmental and labor right standards.

When it comes to the use eCollaboration tools for travel reduction, Jeanette M. Wing from the US National Science Foundation, was not impressed how this technology has evolved. As a professional researcher she expected this technology to be much better by now. Talking with her afterwards she made a point out of that several criteria must be evaluated when choosing such systems. In my own view there seems to be certain criteria that will be mostly helpful for users to find good eCollaboration systems. These critieria include sound and picture quality as well as synchronization and increased user friendliness of such products.

The discussion continues tomorrow and I’ll be back to share more impressions with you then, so stay tuned.

Erich Must Wessel

Blogger for TCO Development

Helsingör, Denmark