Green PC Rating : Cut through the clutter (and the BS)

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padmewan
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Green PC Rating : Cut through the clutter (and the BS)

Post by padmewan » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:33 pm

MikeC et.al. -- as you plan on launching the new GreenPCReview site, I hope you will give serious thought to having some kind simplified green rating scale that would empower business to make credible "Green" claims about their products.

The rating itself would be objective, though the balance of its components may not be. That is, there might be several factors going into a green rating:
  • * total carbon footprint - energy use, as well as energy in production
    * toxicity of manufacture
    * waste generated - lifespan, recyclability, waste
... though ultimately how they are all factored together to create an overall "Green" rating would be subjective.

What I would love to then see as an outcome would be that if I go over to a computer vender, in addition to the "Your total price" changing every time I add/remove a component, it would also update the "Green rating." That way, I can see how upgrading PSU affects the Green rating, which I can then compare against the cost/savings and make an informed decision.

The formula would be transparent, so that people can do their own calculations, since the number of components out there is so overwhelming that the site couldn't possibly review each and every one.

Finally, the formula can then go into the sum of the parts to rate PCs overall based on their components (although real-world assembly of the PCs will surely diverge greatly from what is predicted by formula).

Anyway, the point is that some amount of simplification for the consumer is probably salutary -- otherwise, there's too much information for me to go research on my own. On the flip side, it also holds vendors/manufacturers accountable to something objective, balancing the more egregious "greenwashing" efforts.

The rating scale should also have some kind of unique and catchy name so it can be trademarked and therefore protected from misuse.

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