| Contacts: | Jennifer Pareti tel: 703-907-7079 e-mail: jpareti@CE.org |
Kristina Taylor tel: 703 907 4326 e-mail: ktaylor@CE.org |
CEA LAUNCHES CONSUMER EDUCATION INITIATIVE AND SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT REGARDING CE ENERGY CONSUMPTION
EPA, Verdant Magazine Co-Sponsor Environmental Awareness Day at 2007 International CES
| Las Vegas, Nevada | 1/10/2007 |
The 2007 International CES® Environmental Awareness Day was the largest in show history. With a focus on the key industry issues of consumer education, electronics recycling and energy efficiency of electronics, Green Wednesday featured the launch of myGreenElectronics.org - a resource guide from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®) - as well as a preview of a landmark study on the energy consumption of consumer electronics (CE) products.
The day began with a kick-off event sponsored by CEA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Verdant magazine. Attendees heard from environmental policy leaders who shared a glimpse of the new myGreenElectronics.org and data regarding recycling resources. Additionally, table top displays from the event's corporate and non-profit partners included Computer Recycling for Education, Dell, Ecosol Solar Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Jimi Products, NEC, Panasonic, Sharp and Xantrex Technologies.
"Consumers are clearly in dire need of clear, up-to-date information regarding electronics recycling," said CEA Economist Shawn DuBravac, who led the morning's presentations with the results of a consumer recycling survey. The survey indicated that consumers are largely unaware of their electronics recycling options, with 76 percent of consumers reporting they did not have knowledge of their local recycling programs. Of this group, 71 percent said they were likely to recycle if they knew of a program in their area.
"Consumers would recycle their electronics if only they knew where, when and how," said DuBravac. "While most consumers say they would seek information from the obvious sources such as the newspaper, television, the radio and the Internet, the majority of consumers say they would look for signs in electronics stores."
Parker Brugge, CEA's senior director and environmental counsel, previewed CEA's contribution to the effort to educate consumers, myGreenElectronics.org. "CEA seeks to empower electronics consumers about responsible use, reuse and recycling of electronics with this initiative. myGreenElectronics.org is intended to be a "one stop" consumer resource for electronics recycling, information about electronics' energy consumption and eco-friendly purchasing opportunities," Brugge said.
Featured guest speaker, Scott Sherman, associate assistant administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), next highlighted the success of the EPA's Plug-in to E-cycling program. Mr. Sherman presented awards to the program's corporate partners-Best Buy, Cingular, Dell, eBay, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, JVC, NEC, Philips, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Staples, who together recycled more than 34 million pounds of electronics in 2006. Dell and Hewlett-Packard received special recognition for their efforts.
"Electronics are made from valuable resources and use energy. As consumers, this presents us with a tremendous opportunity to positively impact the environment with our individual decisions. With our everyday choices-what we buy to how we use it and what we do with it when we're finished using it-we can make a difference," said Sherman.
The afternoon featured three environmentally-focused panel sessions: "Federal and State Policy Developments in Electronics Recycling," "Saving Energy with Electronics," and "State Recycling Requirements for Consumer Electronics Manufacturers and Retailers." The "Saving Energy with Electronics" session featured the results of a landmark study commissioned by CEA on the role of consumer electronics in household electricity and energy consumption. The full study will be released next week on CEA's website, www.CE.org/energy.
ABOUT CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the
consumer technology industry through technology policy, events, research, promotion and the fostering of business
and strategic relationships. CEA represents more than 2,100 corporate members involved in the design, development,
manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline
communications, information technology, digital imaging, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well
as related services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA's members account for more than $140
billion in annual sales. CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org, the
definitive source for information about the consumer electronics industry. CEA also sponsors and manages the
International CES - Defining Tomorrow's Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services,
including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research
and legislative advocacy.
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CEA LAUNCHES CONSUMER EDUCATION INITIATIVE