Tags: design, sustainability, USA
This week I was speaking at the International Symposium for Sustainable Systems and Technology in Tempe, Arizona http://www.ieee-issst.org/ and was impressed to see the innovative approach to sustainability learning at Arizona State University, who has opened USA’s first School of Sustainability and celebrated their first graduates earlier this month, with President Obama in attendance.
ASU President, Michael Crow described the School’s multidisciplinary approach to sustainability, with a focus on real outcomes. A clearer connection between science, engineeering and social science is a priority as sustainability graduates are encouraged to look closer at human behavior and intergenerational design. http://schoolofsustainability.asu.edu/
Tags: Eizo, FlexScan, monitor, TCO Certified
Fridays on GreenITedge we will feature a Product Spotlight – a look at some of the new products that have caught our eye and that we love to use. Of course they all offer superior green features and design for usability !
To kick things off, take a look at these new EIZO Flexscan monitors – EV2303W and EV2023W. These are among of the first products to achieve the new TCO Certified designation, and here’s what I like about them.
It’s 48% thinner and 41% lighter than earlier models in the same size, due to less materials used. It’s fully adjustable to your environment and what’s really great is that it prompts you to take regular breaks so as to avoid eyestrain. Really nice when I think of all those hours we spend in front of the screen without paying attention to resting our eyes!
There are some really good energy saving features too – like a motion sensor which detects when you’re not at the desk, and automatially goes into power save mode, returning to full functionality when you return. Another cool feature is the Eizo Eco View index, which displays my level of power savings while I work. For more info on these monitors, click here http://www.eizo.com/products/lcd/ev2303w/index.asp
So in short, a product that really works with my environment, work patterns and green ambitions ! Look next Friday for our next Product Spotlight. 
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In the world of environmental labeling of products , we are often faced with the dilemma of environmental features vs high performance. This is true in the case of any product which is marketed as environmentally superior – the consumer wants the product to be green yet at the same time asking the question “Yes, but does it work “?
This is certainly true when it comes to consumer products - dishwashing detergents, household appliances etc . So what about electronics? Here is a category that has always been about performance – what the product does. More speed, more power and memory, larger size ,sharper images. Flatter, thinner and hi-def. We are always on the lookout for the next big thing – and are prepared to pay for it.
So where does this leave environmental factors? Consumers are increasingly saying that green is higher on their priority list when choosing product, and expect their products and brands to fulfill some kind of environmental criteria. But are consumers prepared to choose environmental features at the expense of performance ? In most cases I don’t’ believe so. Performance usually wins out. This is one key reason for combining high performance and green principles in design and product selection. We need to make sure that products are designed with both principles working in parallel. This is where the TCO Certified program comes in.
I’ll be posting more on this topic in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, invite comments on your buying preferences when choosing electronics. Think of your last purchase – how high up your priority list did environmental factors land ? Did that influence your purchasing decision or was performance top of mind ?
Tell us your story…
