Sunday 5 August 2007

Mobile Offset = Carbon Offset

Since the recent release of the Stern report there has been considerable focus on how technology generates CO2 however could be used to reduce the amount of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere in the support of commerce and industry.

One such area under the microscope is that of mobile field workers, who have a larger than normal carbon footprint due to daily vehicle usage and large amounts of paperwork they need to complete.

While the use of mobile phones is practically ubiquitous among field workers, effective and efficient use of mobile technology is another matter altogether. Yet the environmental and business impact using mobile technology to make improvements can be considerable, and are by no means mutually exclusive objectives.

One recent example offers an exact illustration of what can be achieved. By deploying a field mobility solution with fully integrated satellite navigation, one organisation was able to make more efficient use of their workforce and considerably reduce the average miles covered per job, resulting in a staggering saving of 3.6 million miles per annum. This equates to a carbon reduction of 1,159 metric tonnes of carbon per annum, or the equivalent of 26,953 light bulbs being left on for a year.

The company was also able to remove 1.5 million pieces of paper from their business annually, equating to a saving of 17.5 trees’ (60 feet high) every year. Previously, the paper was shredded then incinerated resulting in the production of 7.2 metric tonnes of carbon, or the equivalent of 171 light bulbs being left on for a year.

The smarter use of mobile technology repeated across the entire spectrum of organisations with a mobile workforce, we’ll be able to see at least one group making a meaningful contribution to the reduction of emissions for which they are responsible.

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