Sustainable Electronics

As technology advances, it allows not only for companies to understand the effect that their waste has on the environment but also to come up with new solutions that help to provide ways to reduce, recycle or eliminate the use of harmful and toxic byproducts. There are wide varieties of electronic devices that are capable of running on alternative energy sources. An example, are options such as the cell phone battery charger that is solar powered in addition to other battery chargers. Flashlights, which can be charged and used via solar energy is another example.

These options provide consumers with another way to provide power to their electronics, this reduces the need overall for the use of nonrenewable energy sources. They do however; contain batteries, which may negate in some opinions the green alternative they provide.

What to Look For In a Green Company

When looking for companies that are attempting to reduce their environmental footprint there are a few things to look for in the company. One of the first steps is to look for product design. A few aspects of a products design can help you to determine if a product design is green. One of the first signs is the materials used in the product design. Products that use sustainable, renewable, recycled or recyclable products are generally going to be greener than products that are made from non-sustainable or recyclable products.

The size of the product is also something to consider. Smaller products generally produce less waste. If you are looking for a green product consider compact designs that contain everything you need. The smaller and more efficient a product is the less waste is going to be generated overall from the creation or disposal of the product. There are other benefits as well such as a decrease in the number of transports necessary to ship the items. Smaller items take up less space on the shelf and in the truck making it possible to have fewer trips. This saves on time, energy, and reduces the overall carbon footprint of the product by reducing the overall impact of the product on the environment.

A DFE is one of the first things to look for when you are looking at a company’s designs. This is the plan that is generally generated in compliance with EPA standards for materials, disposal and manufacturing. A DFE stands for a design for the environment. You can also check out GEC, which is the Green Electronic Council, which helps consumers locate products, which follow green guidelines. The GEC uses a guideline rating system containing eight points, which include everything from design, disposal, packaging and materials among others. This assessment tool is referred to as the EPEAT or the electronic product environmental assessment tool.

After a product’s design, anyone looking for a green product should consider looking at the energy efficiency of the product. Energy efficient products are designed specifically to consume fewer resources such as electricity. In addition, energy efficient products require less recharging, are generally more cost effective, show a continuous and often steady improvement, and have numerous competitive advantages when compared to similar products.

Electronics manufacturers, when looking to create energy efficient products, use LCA tools. These tools also known as lifecycle analysis tools help manufacturers to determine the consumption of energy a product uses during each part of its life cycle. The results that come from the use of these tools are the use of better materials, components, manufacturing techniques and even delivery methods.

Electronics companies are also establishing what are commonly referred to as green facilities. These manufacturing facilities are designed to follow the principles of lean manufacturing. Lean manufacturing involves manufacturing products and a manner that reduces the use of water, energy, and other necessary components. It also is designed to generate less waste in both byproducts and scrap. This is done through a process that includes intelligent testing of processes and products.

The next step in the process of electronics companies going green is the adoption of not only manufacturing practices within the production environment but also an increase in efficiency and shipping and the coordination with suppliers. The ultimate goal of these practices is to reduce the overall cost of materials, energy, time that is involved in shipping a product from manufacturer to distributor. This may include such things as consolidating orders, finding things effective shipping routes, and increasing communication in order to facilitate information exchange.

In addition, many companies are now requiring that suppliers follow safety standards for components, sub assemblies and non-hazardous materials. In some instances, manufacturing companies have even conducted audits of their suppliers to ensure that the suppliers are adhering to sustainability standards. They even help both customers and suppliers create an ecological profile, which shows the energy used by every component that is used to create each electronic device they manufacture.