Walmart and Best Buy Join Green Electronics Initiative
Published by Julia Guth on February 15, 2010
In late January 2010, Walmart, Best Buy, and various electronics makers partnered with the Sustainability Consortium to begin creating a system to help consumers identify "green" electronics. Data from the first round of research will be released in the third quarter of 2010. While the program will initially focus on laptops, desktops, and monitors, the consortium plans to expand it to cover a broader set of electronics in the future.
The consortium will create criteria based on products' environmental and social impacts throughout their lifecycle, and is considering collaborating with recognized standards and programs in place today, such as EPEAT® and ENERGY STAR®.
Known for its technical criteria, EPEAT® is modeled for the industrial buyer, whereas ENERGY STAR®—focusing only on the energy consumption of electronics—is recognized and respected by millions of consumers. It will be interesting to see how the Consortium plans to marry the accessibility of ENERGY STAR® with its more technical developing index on electronic products.
Found in: Retail
