Our impact on the environment

Everywhere you go people seem to be talking about global warming, the effect of greenhouse gases, taking care of the environment etc. Is it just because it was Earth Day a couple of days back and the talk is to be forgotten for another 360 days, or is it something different this time? While governmental bodies still struggle to make strong enough rules, consumers are becoming more knowledgeable on how their daily lives impact the environment.

A growing number of government regulations has mandated green purchasing practices, and others force manufacturers, retailers and importers to take responsibility for the disposal of electronic devices in the European Union. Legislation in the U.S., however, lags behind.

In the relative absence of initiatives in the U.S., some of the technology industry's biggest players, Davis found, have taken the lead in the development of green IT and green technology. HP (NYSE: HPQ) has committed to reduce its energy footprint in 2007 by switching a small amount of its energy purchases to renewable energy. The company has also begun offering products and services to assist customers in reducing their power consumption and carbon emissions.