AMD seeds Dell’s ‘Plant a Tree for Me’ program

AMD, which just recently announced a $611 million first-quarter loss and could soon be facing long-term debt of up to $5.4 billion, has scraped together a $16,000 donation “on behalf of the company’s 16,000 worldwide employees” for Dell’s tree-planting program, intended to offset the carbon produced by the electronics it sells.

When launched in January, Dell presented its “Plant a Tree for Me” program as a way for its customers to offset the carbon impact of their notebook computer use for an extra $2 and desktop system use for an extra $6. Last month, Dell expanded the program to include an extended portfolio of IT products, plus U.S.-based consumers and businesses could donate to the program without making any product purchases. Dell even goes so far as to let you donate $99 to offset your own carbon usage.

I hate to say it (kind of), but I can’t help but draw a rather cynical conclusion when looking at this announcement.

First, consider the sum AMD is pouring into the program. While $16,000 surely can buy plenty of saplings, it strikes me as a rather token donation coming from a Fortune 500 company. A dollar per employee doesn’t come close to the $99 per-person carbon cost calculated by Dell.

Second, consider AMD’s relationship with Dell. After years of being an Intel-only hardware maker, Dell finally opened its arms to AMD, releasing notebooks, desktops, and servers running AMD processors last year. Having buy-in from one of the world’s top PC maker was a huge and significant win for AMD.

Third, consider Dell’s “Plant a Tree for Me” program. Although it’s a very well-meaning endeavor, there are probably better ways for companies to invest money toward reducing carbon emissions and conserving energy: making energy-efficient power supplies standard on PCs, or investing in alternative-energy research, or installing solar panels on the roof of your datacenter, or developing more sustainable, eco-friendly business practices. That’s why carbon-offsetting programs like Dell’s “Plant a Tree for Me” garner some criticism: they’re viewed in some circles as a way of sidestepping the responsibility of reducing and cleaning up one’s carbon footprint.

Also notable: A new study by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Carnegie Institution, and Université Montpellier II confirms that although planting more trees in tropical rainforests could help slow global warming, new forests in mid- to high-latitude locations could actually create a net warming. Thus, the benefits of reforesting are arguably inconclusive anyway.

Now, to Dell and AMD’s credit, both companies do seem to have a firm commitment to sustainability. Dell, in fact, has become the green poster child among IT hardware makers for such initiatives as offering free product recycling worldwide, regardless of product purchase.

AMD, meanwhile, has worked to reduce energy consumption, make its wares more efficient, cut back on hazardous waste, and has taken plenty of other direct measures to boost its sustainability and reduce its eco-impact.

In other words, both companies have been taking on the challenge of cutting carbon emissions in very direct ways, but now Dell has come along with this offset program, the benefits of which aren’t as concrete.

Yet when presented with the option to donate to the cause, what could AMD do but donate to Dell’s green pet project? You’d likely do the same if your manager wandered into your cubicell and asked you to sponsor his son’s walk-a-thon to fight diaper rash. Even if you’d already given money and volunteered time for more arguably worthy causes — and you were a little strapped for money — you’d still reach into your pocket and fork over a few bucks.

That’s my admittedly cynical view. What do you think of Dell’s “Plant a Tree for Me” program?