Companies embrace eco-friendly computing

More prominent computer makers are 'going green'--and schools are seeing more green as a result.

As concerns over the environment mount, a host of computer manufacturers and other hardware providers are rolling out initiatives designed to make their firms appear "environmentally friendly." From free recycling programs to more efficient processors, they say, schools and other customers with a heavy social conscious can rest easier thanks to a new suite of environmentally friendly products.

New developments in the design and manufacturing of computers, printers, and other electronic devices are reducing the use of materials that are harmful to the environment and also saving on energy consumption. These efforts can have a significant impact on the lifecycle costs of the equipment for schools and other consumers.

According to Dell, a classroom with 30 Optiplex 745 computers with Pentium D processors, Energy Smart power management, and 17-inch flat-panel monitors would save about $1,896 a year in energy costs. By replacing the Pentium D with a Core 2 Duo processor, which uses even less energy, this same classroom reportedly would save about $2,082 a year in energy costs.

"We're the first global technology company to offer customers the opportunity to offset the emissions associated with the electricity used to power their computers," said Dell, who also announced that his company would be the first to recycle used computers at no cost to consumers (see side story).

Apple too has completely eliminated cathode-ray tube (CRT) displays from its inventory. Hewlett-Packard Co. says it's the first Tier 1 computer maker to meet the new "80 Plus" performance specification for energy-efficient power supplies. And IBM has unveiled a new program, called Big Green Innovations, intended to help customers look at ways to reduce energy and waste. The program will offer consulting services to help school systems, corporations, and other enterprises design more energy-efficient data centers and otherwise reduce energy consumption, according to the online news source CNET.

With President Bush signing an executive order mandating that all federal agencies must buy EPEAT-certified products, a sign that the federal government is fully embracing and pushing ahead this emerging trend, we can expect more companies to introcude EPEAT-certified computing products.

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