SEP 24

A quick search of EcoGeek's archives show that IBM has never been shy about its environmental leadership. But now their taking it to a new level. Instead of just working on greening their business and their products, they're creating a massive consulting service to help others down the path.

IBM is calling the new business unit "IBM Environmental Product Lifecycle Management" but I'm going to call it the IBM Big Green Evangelical Party. The service covers pretty much everything a major corporation could want to green up their operations including:

• Making sure that products meet environmental and saftey regulations
• Designing products so that they're easy to refurbish and reuse or disassemble and recycle
• Lifecycle assessment and carbon footprint reduction including shipping, use, and recycling.
• Choosing materials that are renewable, recyclable and non-toxic
• Packaging design
• Reducing the time it takes to get eco-friendly products from the drawing board to market.

Of course, if I was any manufacturing company in the world, I'd be calling up IBM right now to get on their waiting list. But all I make is blog posts, and while I'm sure I could be more efficient...I don't really have to worry too much about hazardous substances.

Comments (2)

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Business or philanthropy?
written by Steve N. Lee, September 25, 2008

This might be a stupid question, but is this 'service' a gesture of good faith to put something back into the global community after getting so much out of it, i.e. free consulting, or is it simply a paid service, another financial string to IBM's bow?

If it's paid for, then okay, they've amassed a certain degree of knowledge in this area so why not profit from it. Because let's face it, that's what they are interested in - profit. In profiting, they will do some good.

If it's a free service... well, BRAVO! About time some corporation led the way into an age of global cooperation in our battle for the climate. A free service, while obviously limited in the number of clients it could handle, would mean businesses of every size and shape could 'green up'. That would have an incredible global effect.

Somehow, I think I profit will be at the heart of this endeavour. However, it's still green advice to help the environment, so good stuff.

Steve N. Lee
author of eco-blog http://www.lionsledbysheep.com
and suspense thriller 'What if...?'

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written by Penny, September 29, 2008

"But now their taking it to a new level."

Do you mean they're taking it to a new level?

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