Digital imaging company Canon (News - Alert) has a message for you. You, too, can be as green as it is. The Japanese multinational is broadcasting the results from a new environmental initiative that reportedly helped the company save 2.7 million kilowatt-hours of energy from 2009 to 2010, and carve about $300,000 out of its operating budget during a two-year period since its energy savings program began in 2008.
The fixes are all pretty common-sense, but few companies bother to implement them, perhaps not realizing the cost savings that can be attained with a few inexpensive changes. Though many companies today have green initiatives or policies and even employ individuals holding titles like “Chief Sustainability Officer,” many more don't.
Following are the four elements of Canon's green mantra for businesses (see it in chart form on Mashable).
Computer monitors. Install energy-efficient LCD monitors. Donate CRT monitors to local schools and charities. (Though, one wonders why this is such a great idea if it's going to cost those organizations more in the long run to operate them.)
Lighting. Replace traditional light bulbs with low-carbon lighting. Reduce lighting near natural light sources and low-traffic areas. Install motion detectors to automatically switch off power in empty office spaces or restrooms.
Operations. Limit the hours that buildings are lit and climate controlled during the business week. Building security should monitor for devices left on overnight. Also, implement environmental education and training for staff so switching things off and reducing consumption is second-nature.
Printing. Replace standalone personal printers with multi-function systems. Increase energy efficiency and save on paper and toner by defaulting to black and white (how many times have you gone to print something simple and had it print in a blaze of colored ink because the last person who used the machine to print in color forgot to change the setting back?) and use double-sided printing.
Of course, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what's in this for Canon. They may genuinely be trying to raise awareness, but the last point about printers will probably prompt you to remember that selling digital image devices that print, scan and fax is what Canon does.
Still, the ideas are all sound, and $300,000 savings in two years is nothing to sneeze at, even for a large multinational organization like Canon.
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Tracey Schelmetic is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Tracey's articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Jennifer Russell
