Quick Facts

Devices & Packaging

• As of January 1, 2012, most of the new smartphones in the U.S. will have a “one-charger-fits-all” solution which will provide an estimated 50 percent reduction in standby energy consumption.
• The new generations of wireless devices currently weigh approximately 79g; this is 42 percent less than earlier models.
• Wireless manufacturers have developed eco-friendly devices and accessories such as carbon neutral phones and solar-powered handsets and chargers. They are also continually improving the design of wireless devices and packaging to be more lightweight and environmentally-friendly.
• The use of substances such as lead and cadmium are being phased out of devices while increasing the use of recycled materials.

Green Operations

• Cisco looked at its employees and their use of telepresence in mid-2008. With more than 100,000 virtual meetings that had taken place, Cisco estimated it saved more than $90 million in travel cost; increased employee productivity by $40 million; and removed 20 million cubic meters of emissions, or roughly 8700 cars, off the road.
• Carriers and suppliers are using more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible equipment and components in their overall operations to find energy savings of up to 70 percent and substantial reductions in their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
• In February 2010, the Telework Research Network said that if 40 percent of employees telecommuted half the time, they’d save more than 280 million barrel of oil; reduce greenhouse gases by 53 million tons (similar to taking almost 10 million cars off the road for a year); and increase national productivity by 5.5 million man-years, or $235 billion worth of work.
• Energy is a major expense for wireless carriers, accounting for about 86 percent of their operating costs. Wireless carriers are exploring the use of alternative energy sources such as wind, bio-fuel, and solar power at cell sites.  

Recycling/e-Waste

• According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling one million cell phones saves enough energy to power more than 185 U.S. households with electricity for a year.
• For every 5,000 phones that are recycled, we save 11,000 kilowatt hours of energy.
• earth911.com says recycling one ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space and recycling one ton of paper saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.
• In spring 2009, CTIA conducted a survey and found a little more than two-thirds of Americans were aware that their mobile devices and accessories were recyclable and the same percentage was aware that the industry supports recycling programs.
• In a survey conducted by MyWireless.org in March 2011, more than 84 percent of consumers were aware that their cellphones or wireless devices were recyclable.
• In a survey conducted by MyWireless.org in March 2011, more than 68 percent were aware that their wireless accessories were recyclable.  
• In a survey conducted by MyWireless.org in March 2011, almost 54 percent of consumers had donated or recycled an “old” device or accessories.

Utility/Water Efficiency

• According to the EPA, the Energy Star helped Americans reduce carbon emissions equal to 30 million cars, and save $17 billion in utility costs in 2009.
• In 1996, the U.S. Department of Energy joined as a co-sponsor of the EPA’s Energy Star program.
• The Energy Star logo was developed in 1992 as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) voluntary program to assist consumers in identifying energy efficient products to help reduce greenhouse emissions.    
• By 2030, the Electric Power Research Institute estimated the implementation of smart grid technologies will have saved $20.4 billion for U.S. consumers and businesses by reducing electricity usage by 4 percent. 
• In a joint Accenture and Vodafone report on smart grids using wireless technology, they found a reduction in carbon emissions in European Union member countries by as much as 113 metric tons per year in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
• In a joint Accenture and Vodafone report on smart grids using wireless technology, they found wireless technology cut energy costs by £43 billion (approximately $70 billion), with more than 80% of these savings attributable to machine-to-machine communications.
• Morgan Stanley predicts the worldwide smart grid market will have grown annually from about $20 billion in 2010 to almost $100 billion by the year 2030.
• Accenture, a consultancy firm, listed more than 90 smart grid projects around the world and estimate that by the end of 2009, there were more than 76 million smart meters installed worldwide.
• By 2015, ABI Research says there will be approximately 212 million smart meter systems and smart grid projects installed worldwide.  
• With more than 355,000 electronic and 227,000 water customers, the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) estimates that it’s smart grid upgrade in 2002 will save them more than $90 million over the next 15 years.  
• If America’s power grid was just 5 percent more efficient, IBM estimates it would save greenhouse emissions equivalent to 53 million cars.
• Around the world, utilities lose between 25 percent and 50 percent of treated water to leaks, according to Lux Research, a market-research firm.
• According to Xcel Energy, there is a projected 40 percent increase in consumer demand for utilities over the next 25 years.  

Misc.

• Nearly half of mobile consumers surveyed by ABI Research in 2009 said they are somewhat likely or very likely to be influenced by suppliers’ green credentials when purchasing services or devices.