Every year in the month of April, we celebrate Earth Day. Living in the Pacific Northwest, as the snow begins to melt and the landscape brightens, I reflect on what a privilege it is to live in such a beautiful place. The theme for this year’s global Earth Day is “Invest in Our Planet,” and I believe it represents such an important reminder for us all – to invest. So, when the time comes to celebrate the Earth and recognize the amazing progress Microsoft and our partners are making to reduce our carbon footprints, change business practices to be more environmentally responsible and create more sustainable products, I jump at the opportunity.
I’m so proud of the commitments our Microsoft device partners are making with sustainability. The innovation our partners bring to this important initiative is nothing short of remarkable. From devices made with sustainable materials to Earth-conscious manufacturing and shipping processes, it is exciting to see these investments really making a difference. Here are some great examples from our device partners:
Acer kept sustainability top-of-mind in each decision that went into creating the Aspire Vero. The laptop uses 30% recycled plastic in the chassis and 50% recycled plastic on the keyboard caps, reducing C02 emissions by approximately 21%. In addition, no paint is used on the chassis’ surface. The Aspire Vero is also easily repairable and upgradable, a feature that allows for more longevity and keeps more laptops out of landfills. Features like Acer’s VeroSense software provide a usage mode that’s optimized for energy efficiency and battery life. The laptop is EPEAT Silver certified, meaning it meets a significant list of environmental criteria, and the 100% recyclable packaging earned it a 2021 Red Dot Award for Brand & Communication Design. The neutral grey cover and yellow pigment dots give it a unique and distinctly eco-friendly look. Beneath the Aspire Vero’s stylish exterior are powerful features including an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics to power through daily productivity tasks. The 512GB of M.2 SSD storage gives plenty of space to store music and files, and you can watch videos clearly with the 15.6-inch FHD IPS display. And finally, for those of us working with less-than-ideal background noise levels, you can have your voice heard clearly on video calls with AI noise suppression.
The ExpertBook B9 from ASUS is an exceptional work-from-anywhere device that ships to you with sustainability in mind. The lightweight but durable 1.94-pound device includes an Intel Core vPro i7 processor and gives you a long lasting battery that charges up to 60% in 45 minutes. A spill-resistant and backlit keyboard with ASUS NumberPad lets you work comfortably in a variety of environments, and you can both hear and be heard clearly in meetings with Harman Kardon speakers and ASUS noise-cancelling technology to eliminate background noise. ASUS reduces their environmental footprint by optimizing their packaging and shipping practices. A report found that only 5% of plastic packaging was effectively recycled so ASUS uses cardboard cartons made of 85% to over 90% recycled paper. To continue in the spirit of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, the accessory boxes are designed to be converted into laptop stands, extending the life cycle of the packaging. Thoughtful considerations for their packaging material’s size, weight and the way they’re stacked improve transportation energy utilization which indirectly reduces carbon emissions during transport. Learn more about their sustainable packaging practices.
The Dell Latitude 5000 series is a business laptop and Dell’s most sustainable laptop yet – featuring several intentional sustainable design choices using recycled and renewable materials. Beginning with the base, the system is created with 20% reclaimed carbon fiber and new bio-based rubber feet that’s made from castor bean oil (39%), a renewable material that reduces reliance on petroleum-based materials. Then, to make an even larger sustainability impact, Dell focused on the second heaviest part of the device – the lid, using 71% recyclable and renewable materials including 21% tree-based bioplastic upcycled from the paper-making industry, 20% reclaimed carbon fiber and 30% post-consumer recycled plastic. This series also marks an important milestone in Dell’s use of ocean-bound plastics. To expand beyond Dell’s existing use in device packaging, the Latitude 5000 series also incorporates 28% ocean-bound plastics in the fan housing. The importance of sustainability for Dell extends beyond just the device itself, with the Latitude 5000 series featuring packaging made from 100% recycled or renewable materials – all of which is 100% recyclable. As Dell’s highest volume PC in production and sales, the Latitude 5000 series delivers that sustainable impact at scale.
Dynabook’s Satellite Pro C40-J with Windows 11 Pro is a sleek and budget-friendly professional laptop with energy savings built into its design. It strikes the ideal balance of performance and portability with a 14-inch thin bezel display, a powerful 11th Gen Intel Core processor, and all of the productivity tools, data protection and encryption measures that come with Windows 11. Dynabook’s efforts to produce products sustainably extends throughout their device’s life cycle from procurement to manufacturing, distribution, usage and disposal. They use their own solar power generation system to create their devices, and save on power consumption and CO2 by miniaturizing circuit boards and components. Their packaging is recyclable and the devices themselves are even designed to be easily taken apart and recycled at the end of their life cycle.
The responsibly made HP Elite Dragonfly G3 with Windows 11 Pro and a 12th Gen Intel processor was designed so that mobile professionals don’t have to compromise performance to have a positive environmental impact. This lightweight laptop was thoughtfully designed so that multiple components contain eco-friendly materials, including recycled magnesium in its cover, ocean-bound plastic in the speaker enclosure, and 50% recycled plastics in the keycaps. The outer box packaging is also 100% sustainably sourced. Enhanced by HP Presence, the device delivers a better way to collaborate with others during meetings. Users can be seen clearly with a 5MP camera with HP Auto Frame which keeps users in frame so they can break free from their desk, and with mask-wearing and hybrid work environments in mind, Dynamic Voice Leveling helps to optimize voice clarity.
The latest 7th gen Lenovo Yoga 6 (13 inch, 7) with Windows 11 offers all the favorite features we’ve come to love from premium Yoga devices, plus some impressive measures crafted with sustainability in mind, making it a win-win for you and the planet. Designed for portability and premium entertainment, the specs include up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor, 13-inch Full HD 16:10 ratio touchscreen display for crisp picture quality and Dolby Vision, and two front-facing speakers with Dolby Atmos for an impressive sound experience. It’s made with recycled materials, including a cover made from recycled aluminum or a fabric-wrapped cover option made with 50% recycled plastics. The Yoga 6 is also free of mercury and arsenic, and is brominated flame retardant (BFR) free, and comes ENERGY STAR and EPEAT Silver certified for meeting energy saving and environmental standards. Nearly 25% of Yoga 6’s battery cells use post-consumption plastic, and the laptop’s packaging is the “greenest” ever offered by Yoga, using sustainable paper packaging from responsibly managed and FSC certified forests.
To go along with these sustainably made laptops, the MeetUp Bundle for Microsoft Teams Rooms is Logitech’s compact, yet powerful premier ConferenceCam solution designed for small conference and huddle rooms. With 120-degree field-of-view, a 4K ultra high-def sensor, three beamforming mics and a custom-tuned speaker, your meetings will look and sound their best. Logitech’s industry-leading commitment to environmental sustainability is delivered through its actions in designing for sustainability, carbon labeling, increased recycled plastic use and other carbon neutrality efforts. MeetUp highlights this commitment with its 100% use of renewable energy in its manufacturing, and its carbon-neutral certification for the product and packaging. Logitech’s Climate Positive Approach has resulted in a 20% reduction of carbon per dollar of revenue since 2019 and that number continues to grow.
The TOUGHBOOK 55 is a semi-rugged laptop designed to be used by first-line workers and first responders working in arduous and severe conditions. Its sustainability comes from its modular design that can be highly customized for the needs of its user, reducing waste and improving the ability for repairs and upgrades to the laptop. Its rugged build means it will stand up to heavy wear and tear and increase its longevity beyond a typical laptop. It reduces energy consumption with a long 19-hour battery life, reducing the number of charge cycles. The TOUGHBOOK 55 is a secured-core PC powered by Windows with several Intel processor options. Additional features include the ability to mount in a car for users like first responders and other mobile professionals who need a powerful device on-the-go, plus it supports three different touch modes, includes a backlit keyboard and has four microphones for unmatched speech recognition.
Razer, known for their powerful gaming devices like the recently launched Razer Blade series powered by the latest processors from AMD and Intel along with Windows 11, has committed to sustainability with their ambitious 10-year roadmap called Go Green with Razer. Beginning with their use of device materials like recyclable CNC milled aluminum and post-consumer recycled plastics, as well as only conflict-free minerals and raw materials in their manufacturing process, Razer has pledged to use recycled or recyclable materials in all products by 2030. Customers are encouraged to return their old Razer products to their stores for free-of-charge recycling, and by 2025 Razer will have enabled consumer disposal and recycling of their products globally. Their commitment extends beyond products into their office spaces, investments into sustainable startups, and the global community. And for fans of their popular sustainability mascot, Sneki Snek – for every Sneki Snek eco-merchandise sold, Razer contributes to Conservation International (CI) to save 10 trees. Razer has recently surpassed their original goal of saving 1 million trees, and has announced a new goal of 10 million trees. To date they’ve conserved over 600 acres of forests. Read more about Go Green with Razer.
Samsung’s brand-new Galaxy Book2 series advances Samsung’s ongoing commitment to minimize its environmental footprint and help Galaxy users adopt more sustainable lifestyles. The series, which includes the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, Galaxy Book2 Pro and Galaxy Book2 360, includes all the powerful and beautifully designed features we’re used to seeing from Samsung. The PCs also feature Samsung’s recently announced eco-conscious material that repurposes ocean-bound plastics, such as discarded fishing nets, to reduce plastic waste in the ocean. The material is now featured in the touchpad holder and the inner bracket of the Galaxy Book2 Pro series, as well as parts in its Galaxy S22 and Tab S8 portfolio. The need to frequently replace laptop batteries is reduced by new innovative algorithms created to extend the battery lifecycles and lower standby power. The AMOLED display used on the Galaxy Book2 series not only provides a vibrant picture quality, but is GREENGUARD gold certified for eco-conscious products by the Underwriters Laboratories for minimizing VOC emissions for improved indoor air quality. All of Samsung’s PCs are Energy Star rated to help reduce energy usage and subsequent CO2 emissions, helping consumers avoid an estimated 270 million metric tons of CO2 emissions globally since 2009.
I feel so fortunate to work with these partners on such an important mission. As we begin this month, especially focused on sustainability and environmental responsibility, I am truly looking forward to seeing these materials and practices become widely adopted across our industry and am so proud to see our Microsoft device partners really lean in to make a difference for our planet.
