Comments on: Can companies be trusted over green promises?

By: Green to the speen

Green to the speen — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:35:08 +0000

Can PCs and servers be more efficient in the use of electrical power? Yes very easily but at the moment there is no governmental mandated driver for the companies to change.
Is there too much packaging involved? Yes and no.
For the small items, I agree the packaging is excessive. For PCs, monitors etc, you need a lot of protection thanks to the fact that couriers do not handle goods as gently as you would hope. Basically, if you reduce the packaging around a PC say, then you increase the % DOA rates as they get mullered on the way to the customer.

By: Steve Popham

Steve Popham — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:00:04 +0000

It is clear that as with cars some technological advances could be diverted into making Pcs much more energy efficient. PC Pro (great magazine that it is) is giving more attention to energy consumption in reviews but it could do more. I think publicizing the energy consumption of TVs, monitors and the idling wattage of a PC should be routine. Also reliability should improve as there has often been a correlation between excessive heat output and unreliability.

By: Anteaus

Anteaus — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:18:31 +0000

The vast majority of eco-initiatives are snake oil, and rely on the fact that most people haven’t a clue how much energy appliances use anyway.

That said, a reduction in excess packaging on consumer items would be of real benefit, not only to the ecology but to the growing problem of waste disposal. Most of this excess packaging is simply to make a small item like a USB stick large enough that it can’t be pocketed in the store and stolen. That, and heavy protection of larger items is needed because of the rough treatment boxes get enroute. If we could eliminate these two factors we could save a lot of packaging materials.

By: dark hared lord

dark hared lord — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:04:47 +0000

yep,
And the sustainability initiatives are all part of the marketting budget! I noiticed the other day the label on side of a bag of Lefarge cement claiming they had reduced their CO2 emissions, well duh! bit hard not too if no-one if you’ve reduced production due to a collapse in construction. tw4ts!