It is good to see Michael Dell himself, the wunderkind of personal computers, take a public look at what his millions have cost us. Well, he’s not quite so harsh on himself but he is at least raising the issue of computer waste with his peers, and doing a bit through Dell to nudge waste disposal onto the business agenda.
The days when businesses could send a product into the marketplace without first considering how it might impact the environment are over.
And for good reason. According to the most recent estimates from the Energy Information Administration, world energy consumption is projected to increase by 71 percent from 2003 to 2030. At the same time, carbon dioxide emissions are expected to grow at a rate of 2.1 percent per year.
Benjamin Pimintel, of the SF Chronicle, follows up with a few links to big company recycling information.
Greenpeace has the indispensible Green Electronics Guide.