Greenpeace - assesses electronics manufacturers

Greenpeace Releases Tenth Guide to Greener Electronics

It’s time once again for the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics, and the results are sobering. Despite plentiful attempts at greenwashing, most electronics companies are not making the changes necessary to significantly cut carbon emissions.

American companies Motorola, Microsoft, Dell, and Apple are faring the worst, with no plans to cut global warming pollution and no targets or timelines for CO2 reduction.

Of all the companies surveyed, only Fujitsu, Philips, and Sharp support the cuts in pollution levels necessary to reach a 2020 target of cutting emissions by 30 percent in industrial countries. Additionally, only HP and Philips have committed to substantial cuts in their own emissions.

The electronics companies also had low scores in the usage of renewable energy, with only Nokia achieving the 25 percent clean power mark.

So while surveyed companies have made strides in reducing toxic chemicals in their products— all Apple products will be free of PVC and brominated flame retardants by the end of 2008—there is still much progress to be made in the electronics industry.