Xerox, AMD garner recognition for reducing GHGs

Xerox and AMD garnered special recognition from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) this week for recently achieving their long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals and for extending their commitment to climate-change management. Xerox and AMD are both participants in the EPA’s Climate Leaders initiative, the largest corporate GHG goal-setting program in the United States.

Xerox managed to reduce its emissions by 18 percent from 2002 to 2006. The company is now aiming to lower its total global GHG emissions by 25 percent from 2002 to 2012.

Xerox reports that is managed to shrink its GHG production by reducing fuel usage of cars and trucks driven by sales and service employees. The company also curbed its natural gas consumption and electricity usage. Through its efforts, Xerox says it prevented the emissions of 87,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide last year and saved $18 million in energy expenses.

Looking ahead to its 2012 goal, Xerox plans to design more products that use its EA toner, which the company says is grown by a chemical process and uses 25 percent less energy to produce than does traditional toner made by the grinding method. Moreover, the company says it’s adjusting climate control equipment to reap higher energy savings.

Meanwhile, AMD achieved its initial goal by reducing emissions by 53 percent per manufacturing index (unit of production) from 2002 to 2006. The chipmaker is now pledging to reduce its global GHG emissions by 33 percent per manufacturing index from 2006 to 2010.

Ted Samson is a senior analyst at InfoWorld and writer of the Sustainable IT blog. Subscribe to his free weekly Green Tech newsletter.