Microsoft: Sustainability should be 'embedded'

Microsoft is increasing its environmental commitment, the company's chief environmental strategist said this week at the GreenNet conference in San Francisco.

Robert Bernard

(Credit: Microsoft)

"Recently our CEO, Steve Ballmer, sent out an e-mail to all 90,000 Microsoft employees. He made clear that environmental sustainability is a core value for the company that is embedded in all we do," Robert Bernard said in an interview with CNET News. He added that Ballmer talked about the topic as a corporate belief, "as opposed to a green campaign or a marketing campaign or a marketing issue."

This could be good news for both the environment in general and laptop users in particular.

Computers running the Windows operating system have had problems with power hunger, most notably laptops, where battery life is said to have suffered. So power hungry, in fact, that PC manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard developed their own power management software, instead of the application shipped with the latest Windows Vista operating system.

Audio

Sustainable software
Chief Environmental Strategist Robert
Bernard talks with Erik Palm about
Microsoft's move toward more
energy-efficient products.

Download mp3 (4.07MB)

Microsoft's global market share in operating systems is almost 90 percent, and recent reports indicate that the global IT industry generates as much greenhouse gases as the aviation industry. So Microsoft's environmental footprint can be considered significant.

Microsoft is now promising lower power consumption in its next operating system, Windows 7, among other products.

"The real opportunity is when consumers see the results rather than actually having to notice them," Bernard said. "For example, when they buy or deploy a new version of Windows their energy consumption, and therefore their bills, will decrease over time."

[Vegaman_Dan]

Sounds like generic buzz word eco talk to me.

[SlimGem]

Steve Ballmer "made clear that environmental sustainability is a core value for the company that is embedded in all we do, as opposed to a green campaign or a marketing campaign or a marketing issue."

I believe this. A man of vision, honor and integrity such as Steve Ballmer would never say this if he didn't believe it with all of his heart and soul.

I actually kept a straight face while typing this. Now that's self control.

[Mr. Dee]

Windows Vista introduced improved power management, features like making hibernation the default power option, improved power options all around already makes Windows energy efficiency. Its just that Windows 7 takes it a step further with features like device driver initialization, on demand loading of services, improved wireless connectivity.

[shootthecops]

microsoft's idea of sustainability is buying companies by the dozen and asking for government handouts.

[solitare_pax]

A noble task, considering that Windows equipped machines must make up 95% of the computer e-waste in the world - especially when every major Windows update makes slightly older PCs obsolete - and that some PC makers tend to use the cheapest parts available so you have to buy another new PC every year when it breaks.

Or are they just planning on rationing office supplies?

[BogusBasin]

Buying microsoft is like using disposable plates for every meal. Not so good for the environment, but it sho am cheap! Amen

[catch23]

And buying from any other tech company is different how? How many iPods are in landfills? Or Nokia phones?

[samalander]

How many iPods? Not too many. When they get a bit older and people upgrade, the old iPod goes to a son or daughter or brother or sister. My dad has a 60GB Video iPod at about four years old. Still going. I cracked the screen once and found a replacement kit online for 20 bucks and installed it myself. So, yeah, a couple of square inches of glass went into the recycle bin at our supermarket.

The amount of big beige boxes and CRT screens that I see at our little local tip every week is unbelievable. Macs are mostly arsenic free glass and aluminum, etc.

Nice try though.