Working Together, Businesses and Consumers Can Address Global Climate Change
By Tod Arbogast, Dell Sustainable Business
At its core, global climate change has been framed as a problem with few known solutions, one of the most serious dilemmas facing businesses and governments today. As the global IT industry is engaged to offer practical ways to minimize society’s impact on the world around us, the simplicity – and overall effectiveness – of efforts to embrace technology and reduce our climate footprint can lead to collaboration and progress.
By almost all accounts, the global IT industry has already proven its ability to drive positive and far-reaching change. What took days or weeks to send between two companies or households – hundreds or thousands of miles apart – can now be sent or uploaded electronically in a matter of seconds. As the world became smaller and flatter, information technology transformed global commerce by making it easier to interact and communicate. But along with the positive impact of innovation and the accelerated development of electronics and other life-changing inventions, we have created a need to manage and take responsibility for the climate impact of the products we manufacture and distribute.
Within Dell, we are committed to taking responsibility for the environment at each stage of a product lifecycle---from the beginning when we conceive and design a product, to the mid-point when we manufacture and assemble it, to the most visible point when a customer uses it, to, finally, the end of its useful life.
In January, we launched ‘Plant a Tree for Me,’ the technology industry’s first global carbon-neutral initiative that allows customers to plant trees to offset the carbon impact of electricity required to power their computer systems. As a result of its success, today we’re expanding the program to all U.S.-based consumers and businesses with no purchase required and for an extended set of products.
Dell partners with The Conservation Fund and Carbonfund.org, non-profit environmental organizations, to plant trees in sustainably managed forests. 100 percent of donations received through Dell.com go toward tree-planting efforts.
Our decision to expand the program has been largely driven by empowering customers to join us in making a difference. From energy efficiency to offsetting carbon emissions to recycling and reuse programs, we are discovering new ways to work together to generate immediate and long-term results for the earth we all share.
Above all, we believe protecting the climate must be easy and affordable. When Dell announced ‘Plant a Tree for Me’ earlier this year, we recognized the potential impact of millions of concerned businesses and consumers who visit Dell.com worldwide every day. For them, protecting the planet shouldn’t be costly, time-consuming or burdensome, but straightforward and measurable.
Second, climate leadership means exceeding high goals. While ‘Plant a Tree for Me’ is now available to all U.S. businesses and consumers, our job will not be complete until we empower a global audience to make a difference. To achieve this goal, next month Dell will offer the program to anyone willing to make a difference.
Finally, government can benefit from our ideas. As the leaders of the world’s most industrialized nations explore tangible solutions to global climate change, history teaches us that raw innovation – industry’s greatest gift to development of the world’s economy – can produce new ways to keep our climate stable and healthy for generations to come.
Dell recognizes the importance of finding new ways to build on our commitment, for our customers, our business and ultimately our shared earth. We also welcome your thoughts and ideas on ways we can enhance our collective efforts to improve the health of our planet.
Let’s hear your ideas! Click here to go back to IdeaStorm and share your ideas on how technology companies can address climate change.
