Around the world, we are faced with unprecedented challenges and disruption in our lives with the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout all this, one thing that has never been more apparent is how individuals and communities are coming together to support one another during these difficult times. As we witness this support around the world, it not only demonstrates our humanity but how inter-connected we are globally.
April 22, 2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and the opportunity for us to continue our goodwill as a worldwide community to be environmentally aware and responsible. We are a company dedicated to creating a corporate culture of environmental responsibility that goes beyond our day-to-day practices in the office but extends beyond with the products and solutions we create. Connected through our actions, our global vision “aims to contribute to the creation of a networked society that is rewarding and secure, bringing about a prosperous future that fulfills the dreams of people throughout the world.”
Each of us can make small commitments to protecting our Earth and environment. Here are 5 tips to consider:
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Grow a Plant –
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, plant a tree. But did you know that there are many eco-friendly things you can do in your yard to conserve our environment? Consider banishing bee-killing sprays or starting a compost pile or even feeding hummingbirds.
- Turn Your Electronics Off at Night – Computers left on each night cost the United States $2.8B and 20 tons of CO2. This is one of the easiest way to conserve energy. If shutting down is too much, consider playing with your energy-saving settings like “hibernate” or configuring your computer to “sleep” when it’s inactive for a period of time.
- Research Before You Buy – Check the Energy Saver and EPEAT lists of products issued by our United States government. Not only are you purchasing green friendly products but often time the government will issue out tax rebates that you can qualify for when purchasing the latest Energy Saver products.
- Digitize and Go Paperless - While we live in a digital era, you may be surprised to learn that in the last 20 years the U.S. population has more than doubled its paper consumption. There are 3 sustainability hacks to give your office a green makeover. You will want to check out the ScanSnap iX1500 scanner because not only is it a powerful scanner but you are able to back up your documents to a trusted cloud service provider like Google Drive, Box, Microsoft OneDrive, and others.
- Recycle Old Electronics – It’s staggering to see the e waste facts. Can you believe we generate around 40 million tons of electronic waste every year, worldwide? The equivalent to that is like throwing 800 laptops away every second. And only 12.5% of E-Waste is recycled. Now you can participate in recycling or trading programs.
Whatever level of commitment you make, remember that the combined efforts of each of us adds up. As a sports fanatic, I draw upon inspiration from Vince Lombardi who once said “Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”