Making an Impact for World Environment Day
World Environment Day is an opportunity for different nations to come together to work towards a common cause: protecting our planet. Last year, the theme was “Beat Plastic Pollution,” hosted by India. This annual event opened up the conversation about plastic waste and invited people to consider their own contribution to the issue. This year, China will be hosting World Environment Day, with the theme, “Air Pollution”. This theme tackles the ongoing concern revolving around the harmful gasses we continue to produce in the environment. The UN urges the public to combat air pollution by taking action through education and volunteer work.
Our Mission
At HP, we are dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment, reducing our carbon footprint, and promoting sustainability in our company culture. It’s becoming more imperative that we take action in protecting the planet. In the past, we’ve discussed why sustainability is a key part of a successful business, but today, we touch on why caring for the environment will benefit all aspects of life, in the long run, and the steps HP is taking towards this goal.
Accountability
Since 2001, we have released an annual Sustainable Impact Report to promote transparency with our customers and track our progress. This detailed report dives into the highlights, observations, and challenges the year brought to our sustainable strategy. Through documenting our findings and experiences, it keeps us accountable for the impact we have on the environment. Our report includes a letter from our President and CEO, Dion Weisler, explaining how environmental sustainability contributes to our goals of reinvention and innovative growth.
“Our aim is to make life better for everyone, everywhere.” -Dion Weisler, President and Chief Executive Officer, HP Inc.
Collaboration
It’s no secret that the key to success is working together. At HP, we pride ourselves with the vast number of partners that we collaborate with to make a bigger and more positive impact on the environment. Since 2016, HP has been partnering with the First Mile Coalition to reduce ocean-bound plastic in Haiti by recycling them into HP products. In April 2019, we announced our $2 million investment in expanding the supply chain in Haiti, that will produce more efficient, higher quality plastic for reprocessing.
At this year’s Rapid 2019 Conference, we announced our collaboration with SmileDirectClub to revolutionize teledentistry though combining 3D printing and orthodontic care. Using HP’s Jet Fusion 3D printing solutions, SmileDirectClub can expand its production of clear aligners, making it the largest producer of Multi Jet Fusion 3D printed parts in the country. This partnership not only promotes efficiency, but also sustainability. Through our new recycling program, we are able to take old mouth molds and transform them into pellets that can be then used for traditional injection molding. The lightweight 3D printed parts also reduce the weight on the transportation vehicles, which then leads to decrease of greenhouse gas emissions.
Those were some examples of the many partnerships HP has fostered over the years to improve sustainability. This goes to show that when we work together, we can make a positive impact.
Immersion
We tend to get caught up in the belief that we live in our own little bubble, but in order to understand the vastness of our environment, we have to (quite literally) stop and smell the roses. Using HP’s Z VR Backpacks, users can step into a redwood forest to experience the smells, sights, and air around them in an immersive VR exhibit at London’s Saatchi Gallery called “We Live in an Ocean of Air.” The goal of this exhibit is to create a conversation about climate change by allowing people to have a connection with the environment. Through what the creators are calling “environmental communication,” users are directly immersed in nature and can physically see how climate change is affecting the earth.
Innovation
Did you know the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry? At HP, we put sustainability at the forefront by developing new innovative technology to battle these environmental issues. Our new Stitch S Series reinvents the age old process of printing on fabric, that reduces production time and lowers the cost for print service providers. Amidst all of these benefits, the most important aspect is that it’s environmentally-friendly. According to a study, in 2015, the fashion industry was responsible for consuming 79 billion cubic meters of water — that’s enough to fill 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools! By going digital, the water usage for producing the fabric can be reduced significantly. Another challenge the fashion industry faces is the excess waste of unused fabric, that gets tossed into landfills. With our Stich S Series, only the clothing that is ordered is printed, eliminating the risk of wasted fabric.
As the world is changing, it’s important for everyone to step up and take action. We’re always looking to develop new innovative technology that promotes sustainability and makes a difference. We challenge you this World Environment Day to contribute to the change and do your part.
What will you do to help the environment?
