WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2007--Officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Federal Environmental Executive today recognized computer manufacturers for making more environmentally preferable computers and monitors. The manufacturers make products meeting the new EPEAT green computer standard. President Bush recently mandated that at least 95 percent of federal agency computer purchases be EPEAT registered.

"President Bush's executive order speaks for itself. Federal agencies must buy EPEAT registered products when the products meet agency needs," explained Edwin Pinero, the Federal Environmental Executive. "Highly advanced, affordable, and environmentally-preferable computers are already being sought by the Department of Homeland Security, NASA, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Executive Office of the President."

Jeff Omelchuck, Director of the Green Electronics Council, which oversees EPEAT implementation, thanked both the manufacturers and President Bush. "The manufacturers represented here today make it
possible for federal agencies and other IT purchasers to meet their computing needs while reducing their environmental footprint. We thank
President Bush for his commitment to green computers. We are thrilled to see federal purchasing power promoting significant environmental improvements in the electronics industry. We are even more thrilled to see how aggressively manufacturers are working to meet and exceed strong environmental standards."

Participating Manufacturers

Seven of the fifteen manufacturers of EPEAT registered computer products participated in the recognition event:

• Apple
• NEC
  
• Dell
• Sony Electronics Inc.
  
• HP
• Toshiba
  
• Lenovo

Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, requires that federal agencies "when acquiring an electronic product to meet (agency) requirements, meets at least 95 percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product." A copy of the complete text of the executive order is available on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070124-2.html.

About EPEAT Registered Products

Compared to traditional computer equipment, all EPEAT-registered computers have reduced levels of cadmium, lead, and mercury to better protect human health and the environment. They are more energy efficient, which reduces emissions of climate changing greenhouse gases. They are also easier to upgrade and recycle. In fact, manufacturers must offer safe recycling options for EPEAT-registered products.

All EPEAT registered products meet 23 required environmental criteria, including U.S. Energy Star and European RoHS requirements. The 28 optional criteria are used to determine if a product receives EPEAT-Bronze, Silver, or Gold recognition.

A list of the almost 400 EPEAT-registered products from 15 manufacturers and additional details on the EPEAT program are available online at www.epeat.net.

Calculating the Environmental Benefits

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, using conservative assumptions, estimates that the federal government's purchase of EPEAT-registered computers over a four year timeframe will generate the following savings:

• Save $71.4 million in energy costs.

• Reduce energy use by 824 GWh, enough to power 72,630
  households for a year.

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 64,700 metric tons of
  carbon equivalent, which is equal to removing 51,317 cars from
  the road for a year.

• Reduce material use by 1.47 million metric tons.

• Reduce toxic materials by 75.1 metric tons, the equivalent of
  37,550 standard size bricks.

• Reduce hazardous waste by 2,820 metric tons, the equivalent of
  1.4 million standard size bricks.

• Reduce mercury by 5.7 kilograms, the equivalent of 9,368
  mercury thermometers.

About Green Electronics Council - The Green Electronics Council partners with environmental organizations, government agencies, manufacturers and other interested stakeholders to improve the environmental and social performance of electronic products. In January 2006, it received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote and implement the EPEAT green computer standard. Visit www.greenelectronicscouncil.org for additional information.

Copyright Business Wire 2007

EPEAT

EPEAT

The Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) is an easy-to-use tool to rank computer desktops, laptops and monitors based on their environmental attributes. The three-tiered EPEAT rating system includes 23 required criteria and 28 optional criteria. The optional criteria are used to determine if the equipment receives EPEAT Bronze, Silver, or Gold recognition. Visit www.epeat.net for additional information.

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