Green C mputing

What It Takes to Go the Distance

Shiva

Nanda gets off the airplane in India. He is taking the first steps of a joint venture with an Indian company to introduce the correct disposal techniques and strategies for electronic waste (e-waste). India has a booming IT sector and her demand for computers, printers, routers and parts is voracious. With new technologies and innovations forcing users to upgrade their hardware every six months, the amount of waste is mountainous. The problem arises when the infrastructure and roads of the country do not allow for the waste to be properly disposed. All these parts end up in landfills which pollute and damage the environment. The government of India recognizes that e-waste is an "issue? and is taking steps to fight it. That's why Nanda is on his way to his first meeting in India, which promises to be a long and fruitful trip. A couple of thousand miles away, in Rochester, New Hampshire, Nanda's partner, Brad Wiggin, sits in the office of their company, Newport Computers (www.newportcomputers.com). The company takes up a sprawling 70,000 square feet of factory complex. Newport Computers core competency is Asset Recovery in the U.S. and India. They are also resellers of used computers and spare parts worldwide. Wiggin emphasizes that they won't just sell any parts to people in other countries. Just like the U.S., there is no legislation for disposal of e-waste in many other countries. Wiggin mentions that if a used monitor is sold from the U.S. to a country like Nigeria, most likely the copper within the monitor is worth more than the whole monitor. People in Nigeria will strip the copper and toss away the rest of the monitor. The waste will just end up in a landfill somewhere. 28 PowerSourceOnline.com | June 2008 Both Nanda and Wiggin believe this to be "irresponsible.? Wiggin mentions that if the part is perfectly usable and will be used at the destination, then Newport Computers will be more than willing to supply it. Going Green is not about just celebrating Earth Day. According to Wiggin, "You've got to want it.? A company has to mentally and physically take the necessary actions to Go Green and be more environmentally friendly. Newport Computers is ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certified, and accepted as an EPA Performance Track member. They were also awarded the Environmental Merit Award for participation in a program for reducing waste and reducing their energy signature. "It's expensive,? says Wiggin. Newport also carries $20M in pollution liability insurance, amongst the highest in the industry. Basically, "We say what we do, and do what we say.? Newport has also installed lumen detectors in there premises. When natural light is enough to light a room, the detectors will turn off the lights. When it's dark out, the lights will turn on. This cuts back on electricity usage and waste. All this costs money, but Wiggin and Nanda both believe that it's worth the cost. If other firms want to Go Green it "doesn't have to cost you anything.? Wiggin mentions the best way for other companies to start is "with their own business. Make sure that every practice they employ within their walls is then extended to their customers. Let them know what they are doing.? He believes that being an environmentally friendly business is a group effort. If you are first able to change the way you do business, then you can share and encourage your customers to do the same. Not only does Going Green portray a good image of your company, it also makes "perfect business sense.? If you recycle waste, and use less electricity and water, you save money in the long-run. Nanda also mentions that most items are petroleum based, so if we cut consumption of those products, prices would go down. The demand would no longer exist. These items include plastic bags and computer parts. If everyone stops using plastic bags at the grocery store, the amount of waste that would go into landfills would decrease drastically. Much in the same way, when old computer parts are disposed of correctly and safely, all the usable parts are harvested and used. The leftover is then disposed of properly. This reduces the amount of e-waste and keeps the landfills, and us, safe from hazardous material. If nothing else, being more environmentally conscious is the "right thing to do.? Saying this, Wiggin walks out of his office and into the sunlight. The lumen detectors in his office register the natural light coming in from the window and keep the lights off. In India, Nanda is walking to another meeting smiling to himself, because he knows he is doing the "right thing.? |PSO|

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