The consumer technology industry is leading the world toward a more sustainable future through innovation and key initiatives in critical areas including waste reduction, energy efficiency, responsible recycling and more, according to the
Consumer Technology Association’s (CTA) 2019 Sustainability Report. The latest report outlines how innovators have become a driving force in sustainability by establishing greener operations and creating products that are doing more while using less energy and materials and lasting longer.
“Innovation is our special tool for improving lives and protecting the environment for generations to come,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “Tech companies are helping reduce waste, address climate change and improve energy efficiency. Even as consumer demand for the latest and greatest tech increases, we’re building devices that are smaller, lighter and use less materials and energy. The tech industry’s commitment to addressing environmental challenges has never been more apparent.”
CTA’s newest sustainability report explores the consumer technology industry's leadership in advancing eco-friendly practices and goals. The report includes case studies and insights from global tech companies – including Apple, Best Buy, Facebook, Google, Lyft and Microsoft – to showcase accomplishments across a variety of categories such as energy consumption, recycling and resource conservation.
Highlights from the report include:
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Recycling: Through i¬ndustry collaboration, there are more than 8,000 responsible recycling locations across the country – and many tech companies also offer their own take-back programs.
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Energy Efficiency: Tech devices account for 25% less residential energy consumption in the U.S. than they did in 2010, even as the number of these devices in homes has increased 21% since that time.
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Consumer Education: More than 30,000 schools in the U.S. have adopted curriculums that teach students how to recycle responsibly and reduce their energy consumption.
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Voluntary Agreements: The industry-led voluntary agreement to improve the energy efficiency of set-top boxes has
saved consumers more than $5 billion and avoided nearly 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions since 2012.
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Renewable Energy: 19 of CTA’s largest member companies – including Adobe, Apple, Dell, Facebook, Google, Lyft, Microsoft, Panasonic, Sony and Walmart – have committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
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Material Impacts: Even as the number of devices on the market has increased, the weight of these new tech devices has declined by more than 33% since 2000.
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Internet of Things (IoT): Sales of smart home devices increased 16% in 2019, which a CTA study shows can reduce residential energy consumption by up to 10%.
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Water Conservation: Tech companies are looking at ways to mitigate their water use in the manufacturing process and how to bring water back to communities in a clean, reusable state.
CTA recently released its
2019 Industry Report on GHG Emissions, tracking members’ progress and efforts to reduce GHG emissions. The report details how the industry is growing its commitment to emission reductions while still delivering the life-changing innovations consumers demand. According to the report, from 2016 to 2017, emissions from company-controlled sources including fuel combustion, transportation and heating, and upstream sources of company energy consumption such as electricity decreased by 9% in the U.S.
The CTA 2019 Sustainability Report is available only through electronic distribution to minimize energy consumption and conserve paper resources. To help the tech industry in its commitment to greater sustainability, visit
GreenerGadgets.org for tips on how to live green, buy green and recycle responsibly all year long. Learn more about the industry’s commitment to sustainability by visiting
CTA.tech.
