Cisco: We'll Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions 25 percent by 2012

Cisco (News - Alert) said today that it’s set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its worldwide operations by 25 percent over the next four years in a bid to reach its goal in absolute terms by 2012.

 

Company officials said they’ll deploy a multi-prong approach focused on the power of technology to meet their objectives and to demonstrate how customers can do the same.

 

John Chambers (News - Alert), chairman and chief executive officer at Cisco, said that every corporation has a responsibility to help address climate change and to minimize the impact of its operations on the environment.

 

“Cisco is approaching this challenge not only by curbing our own company’s greenhouse gas emissions but also by taking advantage of the power of networking technology to better manage our environmental concerns,” Chambers said.

 

By deploying “innovative information technology solutions and using the network as a platform for 21st-century environmental management,” Cisco officials say the company believes it can alter its greenhouse gas footprint and help customers meet their sustainability goals.

 

Outlining Cisco’s approach for achieving a 25 percent absolute reduction in GHG emissions by 2012, Chambers said that in the labs and data centers, which account for a significant percentage of Cisco’s energy use, the company will deploy a variety of techniques.

 

Along with taking detailed measurements of energy flows, utilizing efficient lab equipment, using the “virtual network” to store data, these techniques include adding smart power-distribution units that automatically shut down machines not in use, and upgrading building mechanical and electrical systems.

 

Cisco officials said the company also plans to increase its use of collaboration technologies such as Cisco TelePresence and the Cisco WebEx suite of tools to reduce the need for business travel, which accounts for 27 percent of Cisco’s GHG footprint.

 

The company also says it’s incorporating environmental standards into new site design and existing site retrofits and purchasing variable amounts of renewable energy to supplement its operational efforts.

 

This year, Cisco is expected to acquire approximately 460 million kWh of renewable energy worldwide.

 

“By employing an intelligent, Internet protocol-enabled building management system, Cisco is creating a model of 21st-century, network-based environmental accounting that will allow us to better manage and report progress on our commitment,” said Laura Ipsen, a Cisco official.