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sustainabletimes 11 www.binfo.co.uk
Sustainability is tightly embedded
within all Toshiba manufacturing
processes and the environmental
impact of the design and manufacture
of its printer and multifunctional
products has greatly reduced in recent
years. Toshiba products are made in an
ISO14001 facility using the very latest
resource recovery techniques and all
exceed compliance criteria by design.
But research proves that the bulk of
the ‘damage’ is done while the device is
in use, so Toshiba actively works with its
customers to further reduce the carbon
footprint. This commitment extends
beyond the use of software and other
innovative techniques designed to help
customers reduce the impact of their
printing and copying. In 2009, Toshiba
introduced a pioneering initiative – the
Carbon Zero scheme.
The Carbon Zero scheme was initially
launched in the UK and Eire markets and
was expanded to cover most of Western
Europe by April 2010.
Separately, Toshiba assessed the
lifetime environmental impact of its
products in terms of carbon emissions.
The calculation covers all associated
emissions including procurement,
manufacturing and logistics to create
a defnitive carbon footprint for each
device.
While there is no agreed international
standard for measuring the carbon
footprint of an MFP, the Toshiba
methodology works because the
data calculations used are based on
independent analysis which is in turn
independently audited by internationally
accredited organisations, ensuring that
the offset is total.
Carbon zero printing
The carbon footprint of the products is
offset via Gold Standard energy effcient
stove projects based in Sub-Saharan
Africa and Micro Hydro generation
projects in China that take place under
the Verifed Carbon Standard (VCS).
Carbon offsetting allows for the
investment in projects that save the
emission of, or absorb, an equivalent
amount of CO2 to that of an MFP’s
footprint. Through this process, the
emissions are balanced to become
carbon zero, which allows for positive
printing and copying, with no negative
effect on the environment.
The African Energy Effcient Stove
project, which is run through the
independent organisation co2balance,
supplies domestic stoves that cut the
use of frewood by more than half. Each
cooker typically prevents three tonnes of
CO2 emissions every year – equivalent
to the emissions produced by an average
UK car doing 9,000 miles a year.
Four thousand Kenyan households
have already switched to this energy
effcient method of cooking thanks to
Toshiba carbon free MFPs and combined
with further innovations in the products
themselves it means that carbon savings
are made in the UK and in Africa &
China.
Additional benefts
Crucially, the scheme doesn’t just
beneft the environment; it also helps
reduce the 1.6 million deaths each year
that theWorld Health Organisation
identifes as associated with smoke
inhalation. In fact, theWHO states that
cooking on an ineffcient 3-stone fre is
the equivalent of smoking two packets
of cigarettes a day.
Equally, because the stoves that
Toshiba is funding would otherwise not
be installed, children and young people
who would be out collecting frewood
can now go to school.
The Toshiba Carbon Zero scheme
enables responsible organisations to
improve their sustainable business
practices in a positive way. It helps to
focus customers and employees on
resource management whilst providing
a proactive beneft to people in some of
the world’s least developed countries by
improving their health and welfare.
The scheme is providing tangible
benefts and so far has offset around
106,000 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide
equivalent), as a result of providing
almost 2,000 fuel effcient cooking
stoves to Kenyan households.
The offsetting process enshrined
within Carbon Zero is provided to
customers free of charge. Toshiba
has absorbed the cost of the scheme
to demonstrate its commitment to
sustainability but also to ensure the
widest possible buy in from its clients.
www.toshiba.co.uk/imaging
Sustainable printing
It has been well documented
that offce technology
products have an
environmental footprint
and are the most visible
users of energy in the offce
environment; for Toshiba,
offsetting this impact is high
on the business agenda.
WWW.TOSHIBA.COM/DEALERS
THE TOSHIBA CARBON
ZERO SCHEME.
IT’S MORE THAN A GREENER
WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
IT’S A UNIQUE BENEFIT.
WWW.TOSHIBA.CO.UK/IMAGING
The African Energy Effcient stoves
typically prevent three tonnes of CO2
emissions every year.