1. Hewlett Packard- Was the first major IT company to report GHG emissions. They have also implemented programs to reduce GHG emissions and to remove toxic materials from their products. Hewlett Packard, even though they are still targeted by environmental regulators has made great strides in protecting the environment.
2. Dell- Ranks 4th among the top U.S. corporate users of renewable energy. All of Dell's corporate laptops and desktops consume 25% less energy. Dell also leads the nation with it's product take back and recycling programs.
3. Johnson & Johnson- Has made a strong commitment to climate change and environmental management. They have not however pledged to become carbon neutral. They do however; have the largest fleet of hybrid vehicles in the world.
4. Intel- Is the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy in the U.S. Energy efficiency has become a major focus for Intel. Rather than solely focusing on speed they have focused on reducing the energy consumption of their chips. They have also iimplemented programs to reduce waste and release of toxins.
5. IBM- All new employees undergo environmental awareness training. They are also the only company to receive the EPA's Climate Protection award twice. IBM's environmental policies have been around since 1971.
These 5 major corporations are paving the road in environmental protection for other companies to follow. In the years to come I look forward to seeing the major changes that both these companies and other companies will be making to protect the environment.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
GREEN LIVING TIPS
On April 20th 2010 our country suffered from the greatest oil spill it has ever known. The Transocean Ltd exploded into flames releasing hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf. This catastrophe alone should teach about how fragile our resources can be. Making small lifestyle changes from the products that we buy to certain decisions that we make in our homes and businesses can greatly improve the environment. Here I will discuss some of the changes that we can make to improve our health and environment.
Recycle:
-Aluminum Cans
-Newspapers
-Plastics
-Steel
-Organic Waste
-Glass
-Other paper Products
-Toner Cartridges
All of these items can be recycled instead of ending up at a dump and withering the environment. You can usually find a recycling center for these items in your town but if not check with your city waste department for more information.
-Turn down your hot water heater. Your hot water heater accounts for 20-30% of your homes energy. Turn your hot water heater down to around 130 degrees. Turning your hot water heater down could save somewhere from 7-8% on your energy use age (which saves you money).
-Use latex paint instead of oil based paint.Oil based paints are toxic and produce nasty pollutants into the atmosphere. Use latex paint and let the excess evaporate outside for one year. Then dispose of the rest in your trash or donate it to someone who could use it.
-Use rechargeable batteries. Batteries are made of heavy metals and mercury. Both of these materials are major contaminants at dump sites. Rechargeable batteries extract the mercury and cadmium for reuse.
-Use low flush toilets. Forty percent or the pure water in your household is flushed down the toilet.
-Recycle your motor oil. 350 million gallons of motor oil in up in the environment every year. A good portion of that ends up in our rivers and streams. When you get your oil changed ask them if they recycle old motor oil. If you change your own oil; take your old oil to a oil station that recycles old motor oil.
-Switch to fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent bulbs last longer that traditional bulbs and use 1/4 of the energy.
-Use Cloth Diapers. Cloth diapers take up 1-2% of American landfills. Disposable diapers are made from pulp wood; which means more trees are getting cut down to make the diapers. There are also several hundred known diseases from human excrement that end up in our landfills and into the environment.
These are just a few helpful tips to change your home or business to a more healthy environment for you and for your family or colleagues. These simple changes may not seem like much but when everyone pitches in and decides to make their environment a more healthy one; they can do wonders for the environment.
Recycle:
-Aluminum Cans
-Newspapers
-Plastics
-Steel
-Organic Waste
-Glass
-Other paper Products
-Toner Cartridges
All of these items can be recycled instead of ending up at a dump and withering the environment. You can usually find a recycling center for these items in your town but if not check with your city waste department for more information.
-Turn down your hot water heater. Your hot water heater accounts for 20-30% of your homes energy. Turn your hot water heater down to around 130 degrees. Turning your hot water heater down could save somewhere from 7-8% on your energy use age (which saves you money).
-Use latex paint instead of oil based paint.Oil based paints are toxic and produce nasty pollutants into the atmosphere. Use latex paint and let the excess evaporate outside for one year. Then dispose of the rest in your trash or donate it to someone who could use it.
-Use rechargeable batteries. Batteries are made of heavy metals and mercury. Both of these materials are major contaminants at dump sites. Rechargeable batteries extract the mercury and cadmium for reuse.
-Use low flush toilets. Forty percent or the pure water in your household is flushed down the toilet.
-Recycle your motor oil. 350 million gallons of motor oil in up in the environment every year. A good portion of that ends up in our rivers and streams. When you get your oil changed ask them if they recycle old motor oil. If you change your own oil; take your old oil to a oil station that recycles old motor oil.
-Switch to fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent bulbs last longer that traditional bulbs and use 1/4 of the energy.
-Use Cloth Diapers. Cloth diapers take up 1-2% of American landfills. Disposable diapers are made from pulp wood; which means more trees are getting cut down to make the diapers. There are also several hundred known diseases from human excrement that end up in our landfills and into the environment.
These are just a few helpful tips to change your home or business to a more healthy environment for you and for your family or colleagues. These simple changes may not seem like much but when everyone pitches in and decides to make their environment a more healthy one; they can do wonders for the environment.
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