Electronics Industry Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Innovations; Plays Constructive Role in Climate Protection Efforts

   WASHINGTON, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- While debate in the United States
 continues over how to forge an economically-sound climate policy, a number of
 leading electronics companies have already developed or are developing
 products that improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
 According to a new study released today, these products are lowering costs for
 companies and their customers, and creating new market opportunities.
     "How information and electronics technologies change our environment will
 be the product of choices by industry, consumers, and the government," says
 Frances Irwin, a fellow at the World Resources Institute, and co-author of the
 new report, Taking a Byte Out of Carbon: Electronics Innovation for Climate
 Protection.  "We are convinced that the industry that launched the information
 revolution can make a big difference in tackling greenhouse gas emissions."
     The report was released jointly by the Washington, DC-based World
 Resources Institute (WRI), which focuses on issues of environment and
 sustainability, the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), a trade group of
 2,100 companies representing the entire spectrum involved in the design and
 manufacture of electronic products, and the International Cooperative for
 Environmental Leadership (ICEL), a group of companies that works with
 governmental agencies and other stakeholders to advance state-of-the-art
 climate protective industrial technologies.
     Taking a Byte Out of Carbon illustrates how "intelligent technologies"
 place the electronics industry in a prime position to provide practical
 solutions to the climate challenge.  These technologies have led to the
 development of products that more precisely calibrate energy use; make cars,
 appliances, buildings, airplane engines, and industrial processes more energy
 efficient; and assist in reducing the need for energy-intensive travel.  By
 highlighting these activities the report hopes to increase awareness of
 climate protective technologies and stimulate further innovation.
     The report presents these innovations through profiles of 14 corporate
 initiatives that have developed "smart products" that also benefit the
 climate.  Three underlying technologies are highlighted -- displays, bandwidth
 and sensors -- that help people work, live and produce goods and services in
 ways that emit fewer greenhouse gases.  These companies include: AT&T
 Corporation, Canon, Honeywell Inc., IBM Corporation, Intel Corporation,
 Eastman Kodak Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors
 Corporation, Motorola Inc., Nortel, Panasonic, Sharp Corporation, Texas
 Instruments Incorporated, and United Technologies Corporation.
 
 

SOURCE  World Resources Institute