Despite a pocket of stubborn deniers, the environment has a problem, and many of today's devices do not help this issue. No I am not going to preach Al Gore to you, but its a real-world issue that needs solving and Microsoft, a company built on modern technology is at least looking at ways of helping.
The company announces a new initiative designed at helping the cause. "Today Microsoft officially launched a new challenge and website that helps customers – companies and consumers alike – make environmentally conscious decisions when purchasing a new PC. The website features a short challenge and a five-minute video that helps people better understand the environmental impacts associated with buying, using and disposing of a PC", the software maker stated in an email today. The new site is designed to help with buying, using and disposing of technology, and full details were announced on Microsoft's Green Blog by Josh Henretig.
"The site has both video and text about environmentally friendly PCs, their use, and their disposal. It has links to green IT standards, including EPEAT, e-Stewards, WEEELabex, Energy Star, and R2 Solutions", Henretig points out. "We have policies in place on buying greener PCs, configuring them to use the power-saving features in the Windows operating system and disposing of old machines properly so they don't end up in landfills".
While some may poke fun at the company -- as one of the bigger power consumers in the world -- at touting environmental friendliness, Microsoft has been moving in this direction for some time, though it is far from a perfect solution.
It's a start, however much more needs to be done soon, before we cross the point of no return. Microsoft, Apple and Google are all at least showing some effort.
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