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HP Forum Archive 20

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OT: HP goes green
Message #1 Posted by Juergen Keller on 5 Jan 2012, 3:40 a.m.

From time to time there are discussions in this forum that HP is not the good company we knew from our younger days. So I thought I will spread some positive news about HP:

HP is the top scoring company in the Guide to Greener Electronics ranking. There is still much room for improvement but HP is definitely on the right path. Congratulation!

      
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #2 Posted by Borja on 9 Jan 2012, 3:29 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Juergen Keller

I'm afraid Greenpeace isn't exactly dependable as a source of information.

I just remember the inordinate quantities of carton boxes HP uses to ship anything. At least in my experience, any slightly complex system will be delivered as countless indivudual boxes. Each power cable in a box, each hard drive in a box...

Even _LICENSE CERTIFICATES IN A PADDED BOX, ONE SHEET OF PAPER FOR EACH BOX_.

I've really witnessed it, and I think there are published photos somewhere. The Register, maybe.

Perhaps they have changed, I haven't bought such stuff from HP in two years or so. But, consider them a green company...

            
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #3 Posted by Juergen Keller on 9 Jan 2012, 7:04 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Borja

I didn't say HP is already green but on the right path:

Quote:
There is still much room for improvement but HP is definitely on the right path.

If you look at the link I provided, you'll see that HP is somewhere in the brown area. Let's hope they will continue the efforts and further improve their policies and practices.

            
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #4 Posted by Paul Gaster on 9 Jan 2012, 9:52 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Borja

I cannot find the one you mentioned yet, but here is a good one: HP shipping fail

It is a power cord in a box, in a large...I mean really large...box, all attached to a skid.

OK, this was from 2009, but still....

                  
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #5 Posted by Paul Gaster on 9 Jan 2012, 9:57 a.m.,
in response to message #4 by Paul Gaster

I spoke too soon. Here are the pictures of the 17 boxes for 32 pages that HP shipped: HP shatters excessive packaging world record

                        
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #6 Posted by Paul Gaster on 9 Jan 2012, 9:59 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Paul Gaster

How about a computer mouse in a box, strapped to a wood pallet?

Stand aside, the Enormouse cometh

            
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #7 Posted by Ethan Conner on 9 Jan 2012, 1:25 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Borja

I'm afraid Greenpeace isn't exactly dependable as a source of information.

I have to agree with your statement. Having once witnessed their very selective application of going green to western nations with lots of money and freewheeling court systems. Let me say that there was some cleaning up to be done and it was taken care of. Meanwhile our communist neighbors were and still are free to continue massively polluting to the extent that their environmental disaster in the same area is visible with the naked eye from space. They don't operate in or go after countries where their safety is not 100 percent guaranteed or where they are not guaranteed a decent ROI through the court system. Having seen their hypocrisy first hand i'm not impressed nor do i trust much of what they say. It may have started with noble intentions but to me they are just as much a racket as any corporation you'd care to name.

      
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #8 Posted by Hugh Evans on 9 Jan 2012, 8:12 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Juergen Keller

From my experience in the chemical industry, going green is generally motivated simply by complying with the most restrictive state and federal regulations... Almost entirely for the purpose of maintaining competitive presence in all markets. Much of the time it does improve material costs and gives a nice bottom line. From a PR perspective, offering a "green" product line is a great marketing scheme. As far as I'm concerned, regardless of your anyone's personal views about the environment I think most of us can agree that reducing waste and improving efficiency are good things.

My long term concern is the movement by a few ultra environmentally conscious to begin requiring full disclosure of product composition. In other words "you can trust us to keep your trade secrets safe." In my line of work, it's hard enough already to trust partners in certain southeast Asian countries with anything remotely resembling formulation data. One would think we were guarding the Colonel's list of secret herbs and spices with the lengths we go to.

Overall, the end result is a good thing. But at the end of the day, 99% of green manufacturing is the result of adaptation to the current political climate in order to survive and compete.

            
Re: OT: HP goes green
Message #9 Posted by Howard Owen on 9 Jan 2012, 10:00 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Hugh Evans

Quote:

Overall, the end result is a good thing. But at the end of the day, 99% of green manufacturing is the result of adaptation to the current political climate in order to survive and compete.


It's not just regulation that's driving green manufacturing.

Walmart famously squeezes its suppliers to use less packaging. More stuff crammed into a given shelf space means more products can squeeze in. Less packaging also reduces the suppler's costs, allowing them to meet WM's price demands. Shipping costs go down too. A felicitous side effect is less waste going into landfills.


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