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Dell also requires that its suppliers report their greenhouse gas emissions. If a supplier
doesn’t report emissions data, it can affect the business it does with Dell. The amount of
business done with a supplier can be affected by how well it is keeping a lid on greenhouse
gas emissions. But Dell isn’t being heavy-handed about it. If a supplier wants help in
reducing emissions, Dell will work with it.
Facilities
Although Dell is trying to lessen its carbon footprint, it still makes a mark. Dell’s biggest
source of impact is from electricity consumption. In 2007, Dell’s U.S. electricity usage
accounted for 97.8 percent of its carbon emission.
To reduce the amount of electricity it uses, Dell has implemented several changes, including:
• A power management program that turns off machines when not in use. That saved
13 million kWh of electricity, which equates to 8500 tons of CO and US$1.8 million
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in savings.
• Renovated lighting in its Texas facilities. This gave the company a 9 percent
reduction in power consumption.
However, facilities considerations aren’t just about electricity usage. Dell has set a goal
to have all facilities certified through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) green building rating system. Those same standards will be applied to new
buildings and remodeling projects.
Customer Interaction
Dell wants to keep its customers close to its efforts in being environmentally aware. It does
this through a number of programs in which the customer can be actively involved with
Dell to help reduce toxins and carbon emissions.
Education PART IV
Dell’s enviro-responsibility doesn’t take place in a vacuum. The company actively
communicates with customers and other stakeholders. Dell has a number of customer
communications programs, the idea being to educate them about energy efficiency as well
as other environmental issues, such as climate change and pollution.
That educational process starts when a computer is purchased online. When a customer
configures a computer, the website walks them through the process, helping them make
responsible choices. If a customer is interested in configuring their computer environmentally,
the site can provide better suggestions with power management enabled by default.
Servers can be compared, side by side, so that in addition to model features, you can see
how much electricity a given server uses, and how much your cost savings would be over
a 6-month period.
Dell reports that it has seen increased visits to its website for its Environmental Data
Sheets and online energy calculators. When customers review a data sheet, it gives Dell
a chance to make a pitch for EPEAT-rated equipment, and then show the EPEAT rating,
energy consumption, and other information about the product’s materials.
Calculators can also show customers how their power management settings and monitor
choices will result in environmental impact. This is communicated as CO emissions and
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energy savings.