BSR Insight Articles About Information & Communications Technology
Using Games to Spur Greener Behaviors
While companies struggle to find new ways to get customers to embrace sustainability, one industry expert has arrived at an engaging approach: games. The Rocky Mountain Institute’s Ben Holland recently blogged about how companies can use gaming to spur customers and consumers into greener behaviors. Holland pointed out that some companies already have had success embracing this approach; through a special website, for instance, GM has enabled owners of the Chevrolet Volt electric cars to track mileage information and benchmark data against each other. During a telephone interview, Holland said he was inspired by technologies and ideas he observed at the recent South by Southwest Interactive conference in Austin, Texas. _“People always have been competitive with one another in a friendly way, and games are great to get people to reflect on energy use. Nobody really thinks about how many kilowatt hours they’ve used in the last month. When you create a game environment, all of a sudden the process becomes fun.”_ —Ben Holland, project manager, Project Get Ready, Rocky Mountain Institute (April 5, 2012) Read more
Taking Ethics to the Cloud
Dunstan Allison Hope, Managing Director, Advisory Services Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy
Just a decade ago, it would have been hard for all but the most tech-savvy to imagine the extent of cloud computing today. A complex system of data centers worldwide that store, process, and deliver information on demand over the internet, the cloud provides users with resources, applications, and information that they previously would have stored locally. The cloud—what some are calling “the factory of the 21st century”—is run by a network of IT service companies, internet firms, and telecommunications services providers, and it offers services to all of us: from banks and retailers to individuals like you and me. It is both real—requiring traditional inputs such as electricity—and virtual. Read more
2012: Sustainability Steams Ahead in Uncertain Times
Aron Cramer, President and CEO
History moved fast in 2011, even as the economy was stuck in neutral, and 2012 promises to be a wild ride. Exactly how it will play out is hard to say. 2011 provides ample evidence of how difficult it is to foresee specific changes: Last January, few anticipated the Arab Spring, and Hosni Mubarak was ejected from office before the end of February. And early in 2011, any mention of the "Occupy Movement” was more likely to be considered a good name for a new indie rock band than one of the most potent political forces seen in years. Read more
HP, Dell, and Nokia Top Greenpeace’s Green Products Ranking
Greenpeace’s 2011 “Guide to Greener Electronics” ranks 15 leading mobile phone, TV, and computer manufacturers on their policies and practices to reduce climate impacts, produce greener products, and make their operations more sustainable. HP, Dell, and Nokia top the list of the greenest manufacturers, while LG Electronics, Toshiba, and RIM take the bottom three ranks. Read more
The Sustainability Opportunity in Product Obsolescence
Marshall Chase, Associate Director, Advisory Services
On the last day of the BSR Conference 2011, Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn noted that we have about five years to address the world’s critical sustainability challenges. But to do this, he added, we need new business models. Read more
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