Dell's Director of Sustainable Business, Tod Arbogast, spoke to reporters from across Asia yesterday highlighting the company's commitment to be an environmental leader. The meeting was an important step in outlining Dell's successful "green" initiatives across the globe, as well as offering hints at what lies ahead.

Arbogast began the presentation with a summary of the ecological challenges our planet faces, such as the exponential growth of Earth's human population, and the ever climbing energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions. While many of these alarming trends show little sign of declining, Arbogast outlined Dell's plans to meet these challenges head on through responsible environmental policies and an ever-growing portfolio of energy-efficient products and practices. "'Green' messaging is everywhere," Arbogast said, referencing a reporter's earlier comment that most companies today include claims of a commitment to the environment. "We must demonstrate our commitment through action."

Among Arbogast's points:

• Our industry-leading recycling program, which offers customers around the world the chance to recycle their older computers and peripherals at absolutely no cost to themselves. We've challenged the rest of the industry to match this commitment for the betterment of our planet.
• Dell's distinction of being the only major computer manufacturer to commit to being carbon neutral this year. The company's carbon intensity is already among the lowest of the Fortune 50 and approximately half that of HP. This drive to sustainability and energy-efficiency has already saved $3 million and avoided 19,200 tons of CO2 emissions. This sort of energy-efficiency helps save both Dell and our customers a bundle.
• The first in the world to partner with its customers to offset their carbon impact with the "Plant a Tree for Me" and "Plant a Forest for Me" programs. Approximately 100,000 trees have already been planted as a result of these programs, which will offset 225 million pounds of CO2 through sequestration over the lifetime of the trees.
• Our commitment to drive customer savings through the world's most energy-efficient computers.
• Our willingness to listen to our customers through IdeaStorm, Direct2Dell, Dell Earth, the Dell Community Forums, and ReGeneration. Our environmental programs go well beyond a transaction or purchase, and we have our customers to thank for this. They are letting us know what they expect out of us, and we are listening.

In the din of excitement over Dell's ‘green' moves in the United States, such as our global headquarters campus in Round Rock being completely powered with ‘green' energy, it's easy to forget that we have made the same environmental commitments worldwide. Our programs addressing recycling and energy efficiency are available everywhere our products are sold. Arbogast's conversation with APJ (Asia Pacific/Japan) reporters serves as a reminder that our commitment to the environment does not end at the borders of the United States. Our environmental challenges as residents of the planet Earth do not recognize different languages, cultures, or political borders. It is therefore our responsibility to deal with it together as a global community.