Hi Abhishek,
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), e-waste is one of the fastest growing global waste problems. The EPA predicts that within the next 10 years more than 13 billion pounds of e-waste plastics will be produced from computer e-waste alone.
"This crisis relates not only to quantity, but also to the toxic nature of e-waste," the EPA noted. "Vast amounts of toxic materials such as lead, beryllium, mercury, cadmium and brominated flame retardants are continued within the growing mountains of e-waste around the world."
Cisco is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's(EPA) Climate Leaders program, an industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop comprehensive climate change strategies. Over the last six months, Cisco has worked with the EPA as well as other parties such as the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and sustainability consulting firm DOMANI to assess its worldwide GHG footprint, validate its metrics and establish aggressive, achievable goals. In calendar year 2007, Cisco's gross GHG footprint was 832,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2e). This footprint includes emissions from Cisco's globally owned and leased facilities, vehicles and its airline travel. Based upon the EPA Climate Leaders protocol, this figure is becomes net 724,000 metric tons of CO2e. With today's announcement, Cisco aims to reduce its GHG emissions by 2012 to a net footprint of 543,000 metric tons of CO2e.
For achieving a 25 percent absolute reduction in GHG emissions by 2012. In its labs and data centers, which account for a significant percentage of Cisco's energy use, the company will deploy a variety of techniques. These include taking detailed measurements of energy flows, utilizing more efficient lab equipment, using the "virtual network" to store data, adding smart power-distribution units that automatically shut down machines not in use, and upgrading building mechanical and electrical systems. As part of its commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, Cisco has already decreased emissions from air travel by at least 10 percent per employee. Finally, Cisco will deploy its Cisco Connected Workspace solution in additional locations. This unique hybrid office environment is up and running at sites around the world, including Cisco's San Jose, Calif. headquarters, where it has significantly reduced electrical demand per employee in the impacted areas.
Cisco is currently piloting a software solution in the United States to model the impact of various factors on carbon footprint, waste reduction targets and other goals. This tool is allowing Cisco to take into account the rising cost of energy and to forecast how it will affect operations and expenditures, as well as to model how certain practices can reduce energy use.
Finally, Cisco is incorporating environmental standards into new site design and existing site retrofits and purchasing variable amounts of renewable energy to supplement its operational efforts. In 2008, Cisco is expected to acquire approximately 460 million kWh of renewable energy worldwide. Cisco is also part of the EPA's Green Power Partnership, which ranks Cisco as No. 8 on its list of top 25 national purchasers of green power.
Helping Customers Meet Their Environmental Goals
To help customers manage their energy-consumption challenges, primarily in the data center, Cisco also today announced a public beta launch of a portal called the Efficiency Assurance Program (EAP). This centralized web-based tool will help Cisco customers better analyze power use and establish efficiency benchmarks across facilities and the data center infrastructure.
Kind Regards,
Sachin Garg
Senior Specialist Security
HCL Comnet Ltd.
http://www.hclcomnet.co.in
A-10, Sector 3, Noida- 201301
INDIA
Mob: +91-9911757733
Email: sachinga@hcl.in
