Dell says 'Plant a tree for me'

 

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By Maggie Holland

Posted on 11 Jan 2007 at 17:49

Dell is trying to encourage tech players to be more environmentally savvy, kick starting the campaign with its own tree planting initiative.

The computer giant's 'Plant a tree for me' effort, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, is designed to offset the carbon impact of the energy needed to power equipment when in use.

US users can already take part in the programme by donating $2 for a notebook and $6 for a desktop computer, the proceeds of which will be invested in a tree plantation to absorb carbon dioxide and stem the damage cause by electricity-hungry devices.

Users in the UK and the rest of the world will be able to do their bit for the environment by taking part in the scheme, which is in collaboration with The Conservation Fund and the Carbonfund.org, from April.

'We applaud Dell's leadership for its commitment to offset the carbon footprint of its computers,' said Larry Selzer, president of The Conservation Fund.

'Climate change has emerged as one of the dominant environmental issues of our time, and Dell's industry-leading efforts to address this challenge, and its invitation to its customers to join in this initiative, serve as a model for corporate environmental stewardship in the 21st century.'

Dell, which is a founding member of the Green Grid, also used CES as an opportunity to unveil a new website highlighting its efforts to look after the planet.

It has already received recognition for its eco-friendly attitude.

Last summer, the company came joint top, alongside mobile phone giant Nokia, in Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics

Then, in November, the company unveiled its Optiplex 740 model, which features an AMD Athlon 64 X2 single or dual core processor and Dell's Energy Smart setting, which use sleep modes to use processing power more efficiently.

'The customer experience starts with receiving the best value and continues with the knowledge that we are working with our customers to protect the environment throughout the life of their system,' said Dell's chairman Michael Dell.

'Programmes like "Plant a Tree for Me" and our global recycling efforts empower our customers to participate with us in making a difference. It is our hope that other companies in our industry will join us to improve the environment that we all share.'