Tags: Green IT, TCO Certified, Third party certification
Over the past months we’ve seen several media reports of quality control problems with so-called “self certification” or “self-registration” environmental programs for electronics and appliances. In some cases products were assigned an energy rating or environmental registration without actually meeting the requirements of the programs in question. In other cases reported earlier this month, non-existent products were deliberately put through the system to test its quality control and product verification. The concerning outcome was - they passed !
As a third party certification program, we at TCO Certified have received many requests to comment on the current situation of false approvals in self-registration programs. Our opinion is that these quality assurance problems are to be expected in a system where approval relies solely on information submitted by the manufacturers themselves . For an eco-label to be a credible assurance to buyers, independent verification of product features and claims is vital. This is how the TCO certification system has worked for almost 20 years.
TCO Certified is a third party certification (Type 1), as defined by the International Standards Organization. This means that all products bearing the label have been rigorously tested by an independent lab, according to internationally accredited test methods. Savvy buyers around the world acknowledge that a Type 1 eco-label is the best possible assurance that an IT product actually meets the requirements set forth by the label and lives up to claims made by the manufacturer.
As our society focuses more on being “green”, so do product vendors and manufacturers. In almost every product or service sector, there are environmental messages and claims put forth to attract buyers. The result is confusion for buyers as they try and decide who to trust, which product claims to believe. This is another reason why third party, Type 1 eco-labels are more important than ever – providing an objective voice in making a green product choice easier.
Tags: desktop, energy saving, Green IT, IT products, TCO Certified
Today we launch the new TCO certification for desktop computers: TCO Certified Desktops 3.0. Dell’s OptiPlex 980 is the first desktop in the world to be awarded with the new TCO Certified designation for environmental and high performance design. TCO Certified Desktops 3.0 is the third and the latest TCO criteria document for desktop computers. The environmental requirements are much tougher in TCO Certified compared with the former TCO’05 Desktops. All TCO Certified products are rigorously tested by an independent laboratory for low levels of energy consumption, noise and electromagnetic emissions as well as minimal environmental impact. These high performance products are also intended to reduce the global E-waste problem as they are designed for longer life and for recycling at end of life. Dell’s achievement of TCO Certified is also a validation of their ongoing, active commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, a key aspect of the TCO Certification.
Go to the full announcement here.
Tags: Green IT, iPad, IT products, sustainable IT
A lot of talk the past weeks has been about the iPad – the latest in Apple’s series of highly anticipated devices designed to change the way we use and interact with technology. At the recent Display Search US Flat Panel Display conference, industry leaders and analysts were labeling the iPad a success, failure and game changer – opinion really depended on who you were talking to !
People have begun asking me – “is the iPad green?”. My answer – “Compared to what ?”
Here is a product that seems to create a middle category between smart phone and Notebook PC. So, the green question can be seen in a couple of ways:
- what green attributes does the device itself feature ? In itself, energy efficiency and recyclable materials can make for an environmentally preferable product.
- Will people buy the iPad in addition to a smart phone and Notebook PC? If we are adding more products to our already extensive electronics portfolios, how sustainable is that ?
Scheduled for an April 3 launch in the US, it will be interesting to see how the iPad takes off in the market – and whether it can be part of a green ICT solution. 
Tags: Green IT, IT products, LCD display, USA
The annual “meeting of the minds” in the display industry will meet next week to discuss industry trends, analyze market opportunities and forecast the future of the display and TV business around the world. The annual Display Search US Flat Panel Display Conference offers manufacturers, channel partners and industry analysts the chance to explore current and future markets for display products. TCO will be there and be assured, there will be plenty of talk about Green IT solutions. Look for my blog posts direct from the conference. For more information log onto www.displaysearch.com
Tags: Government, Green IT
I noticed this video from the Local Government Channel in the UK, with a good example of how local government is making smart choices in Green ICT and how working closely together with a vendor can streamline the process. Click here to view the video.
Tags: computer display, display, Green IT, IT products, monitor
January LCD monitor production for top PC and monitor brands about 85% of the market was 12.5 M, the highest level in more than a year, as noted in the newly announced DisplaySearch Monthly Desktop Monitor Brand and OEM Production Report. Additionally, near-term production build-plans show that March could be the highest monthly production of LCD monitors on record, reaching over 12.9M.
Read the article here
Tags: carbon footprint, CO2 emissions, energy saving, environment, Green IT, IT products, save energy, sustainability, sustainable IT
While major electronics brands compete to develop more eco-friendly PC products, some areas of Green IT are actually shifting towards greater industry collaboration. A couple of recent stories caught my attention. Firstly, at CES I attended an Electronics Takeback roundtable, hosted by the US EPA and featuring senior environmental managers from Panasonic, Best Buy and L.G. When discussing the challenges of implementing a cohesive takeback infrastructure, industry reps agreed there is a need to work together to create a common eco-system and create efficiencies in how takeback is handled across multiple product categories.
Second, the Green Touch project was announced this week in a cross-industry effort to reduce PC processory energy use 1000-fold. In real terms, this would mean being able to run the world’s communications networks, including the internet, for nearly three years using the same amount of energy it currently uses in one day. The Green Touch project kicks off in February. More details here
Tags: CES, Green IT, ICT products, USA
ust back from the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where Mobility, social media and eco-friendliness were key themes among many of the product lines on show.
Of particular note was the number of tablet PCs that were creating a lot of attention – offering consumers a more powerful PC than a netbook, but more versatility than a larger sized notebook. Touch screens were also a popular trend, with some netbooks featuring multi-touch technology allowing for maximum flexibility for the user to manipulate the image on the screen. Social media applications were everywhere, with facebook- and twitter-friendly technologies gaining a lot of attention. Microsoft and HP even organized a spontaneous “Tweet and Greet” event on the show floor, relying exclusviely on the social network to spread the word and gather attendees.
Environmental features continue to be a big story in consumer electronics. Energy efficient LED backlit TVs and Notebooks are growing in poularity and several products featured motion sensor technologies that set the screen into sleep mode once the user left the room, and even a TV that can detect whether a viewer is or doing another activity, and adjusting the brightness of the TV automatically.
Overall, industry reps we talked to at CES are looking to these new technologies to help drive the economic recovery. Click here for more product reviews and news from CES.
Tags: combine usability and environmental aspects, design, environment, Green IT, sustainable IT, usability, World Usability Day
I think this heading captures the purpose of truly sustainable design and the theme for World Usability Day 2009.
Each year, World Usability Day is an opportunity to highlight achievements in user-centric design. On November 12 usability thought leaders, consumers , industry and researchers gathered at events in over 43 countries to discuss the latest innovations in usability design. Basically, the mission of the event is to “Make Life Easier”.
This year’s theme was “Designing for a Sustainable World”, and reflected the growing demand for “green” design in combination with highly functional products. In the United States, TCO Certified showcased a selection of TCO Certified notebook PCs at the event hosted by Sabre Holdings in Southlake, Texas. The event featured product exhibits, usability testing demos and a keynote presentation by renown design professor and author, Nathan Shedroff. You can view a copy of Nathan’s presentation below -a useful source for why usability and sustainability in design must go together.
Nathan’s message in short: “Don’t design things today that make tomorrow worse”
http://www.worldusabilityday.org/sites/worldusabilityday.org/themes/wud/resources/nathanshedroff.pdf
Tags: Green IT, SCP, Sustainable consumption, Sustainable production
Sustainable consumption and production, SCP, is a core theme for the United Nations and EU when working towards sustainable development. The European Commission and the European Environmental Agency (EEA) have identified the SCP priority areas which are: housing, food and drink, and mobility. These are the areas that lead to the highest environmental impacts over their full life cycle. I suppose ICT is a great enabler within these areas: smart houses, software that takes care of the energy supply system and reduces the energy use is coming are only two examples. ICT is also a great enabler for reducing the travels, but also for making us wanting to travel and see more of the world…. We should keep an eye on the ICT:s as well and make sure they follow the goals within SCP: energy efficient, as low impact as possible on the environment and of high quality which makes them last longer and want to be used longer by the end user. Also, check out TCO Development White paper on Green IT.
Hope you like...