CEA report: More companies going green
By Wendy Wilson -- Video Business, 10/22/2008
OCT. 22 | Consumer electronics companies are moving toward environmentally sustainable business practices and seeing sales of green products grow appreciably at the same time, according to a new report commissioned by the Consumer Electronics Assn.
Sixty-four companies were surveyed as part of a study—the industry’s first—on environmental sustainability. The report was conducted on behalf of CEA’s membership by independent research concern Technology Forecasters Inc. Companies’ commitment to improving environmental business practices were evaluated in a number of areas, including energy efficiency, green manufacturing, eco-design and electronics recycling.
Two-thirds of the companies polled, about 69%, say they are now recycling electronic products and components. Combined with the 40% of those companies that report repurposing the electronics products they produce or use in their businesses, these two initiatives have resulted in the recycling of 800,000 tons of waste.
CEA member companies also say the sale of green products is becoming a notable portion of their business. Philips estimates that 20% of its sales come from green products that offer “significant improvement” for the company in areas where it is focusing on greening its business, such as packaging, recycling and disposing of materials.
And retailer Best Buy reported strong sales for Energy Star-certified products last year—7 million units sold in 2007 alone. A program developed by manufacturers, the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Energy Star certification focuses on the energy efficiency of various appliances, TVs, monitors, audio and visual products.
The 7 million units purchased at Best Buy alone saved consumers $100 million on utility bills and prevented the production of 1.4 billion pounds of carbon emissions, equal to taking 128,000 cars off roads.
Another industry accomplishment: the larger shift away from CRT (cathode ray tube) to LCD monitors over the last eight years. Moving to LCD technology has improved the energy efficiency of these products by reducing the average energy usage per monitor by about 30%.
