Sharp blog Action Day

When I heard of Blog Action Day and its efforts to provide a voice for climate change, I almost simultaneously reached out to my client, Sharp Solar Electicity. I’ve always been impressed in their embracing of sustainable design, whether it’s printing on recycled paper or using FSC sustainable ink. Sharp, I thank you, and the world thanks you.

At Sharp, we imagine a world where advances in technology come without scarifies to the environment. We have always strived to produce high quality products that improve lives. Now we’ve made a commitment to setting new standards of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Sharp’s goal is to minimize the environmental impact of our products by continually implementing and improving product technologies, designs and programs aimed at environmental conservation, from the materials used in the manufacture and packaging of our products, to their transportation, use and safe disposal at the end of their product life. Here are a few ways we are working toward achieving our goal.

Solar Module Manufacturing – Sharp continues to be one of the world’s leaders in solar cell manufacturing.  Currently we are building our new Sakai Manufacturing Complex, which will have the capacity to produce 1 GW of cutting edge solar thin-film technology. The Sakai complex will bring the world two environmentally friendly products: energy-saving LCD panels and energy-creating solar panels. Sharp aims to make this complex an environmentally advanced production base through such environmental measures as adopting LEDs for all indoor and outdoor lighting (approximately 100,000 LED lights) throughout the complex. In addition, Sharp will install solar panels on all factory roofs to provide some of the needed electricity.

The Sakai complex will leverage synergies between LCD and solar cell production as TFT liquid crystal panels and thin film solar cells are based on the same technology. Sharp is able to utilize common materials and utilities, resulting in increased manufacturing efficiency.

Sharp Solar Academy – In an effort to empower today’s youth with the knowledge to change and improve their environmental future, we established an environmental education program called the Sharp Solar Academy. The program is designed to teach 3rd – 5th graders about climate change and renewable energy, as well as ways to lead a more environmentally conscience lifestyle.

EnergyStar – Many of Sharp’s LCD, air purifiers, air conditioners, copiers and printers, meet the EnergyStar criteria for low power consumption with also achieving extended operating life. For example Sharp’s newest LCD TV series, the LE700 series are the most energy efficient televisions on the market today.

Plug-In eCycling Program – The EPA created this program to reduce the environmental impact of electronic products during their production, use and disposal. For several years, Sharp has joined with other companies to collect and safely recycle used electronics.

Energy Efficient Product Transportation – Sharp is one of the first members of the EPA’s, SmartWay™ Transport Partnership program, an alliance that establishes incentives for fuel efficiency improvements and reductions in greenhouse gas emission by creating partnerships, reducing unnecessary engine idling and increasing efficiency and use of rail and intermodal operations. Sharp has won SmartWay’s™ Excellence Award for all four years the award has been given, for its contribution to the program.

EPA’s Performance Track Program – Recognizing facilities with strong environmental records, the EPA also encourages companies to go above and beyond their legal requirements. Sharp has been a member of their Performance Track since 2005

Leading by example, Sharp encourages every person to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles that will help our environment.  And that’s a benefit the entire world can share.

Special thanks to Zelinda Welch for authoring this post and doing her part in combating climate change.