By Sustainability team
25th August 2010.
13:27
Related to the post below, I think the O2 eco-rating is the best available rating on sustainability so far.
There are three main reasons for this. The first being that the eco-rating address positive potential for a product to contribute to a more sustainable life of the consumer and this is the first structured attempt to do this. Secondly the information gathered on the product is well balanced focusing on the relevant parameters from a life cycle perspective while many other attempts are too superficial alternatively dig very deep into things that makes no difference what so ever on the total product impact. Thirdly that that it takes the wider sustainability scope looking at company performance and not only a product “carbon footprint” potentially with some added environmental aspects.
Many skeptics claim that mobile phones does not replace anything. I believe this to be wrong. Let me give you one example. When I went to some interviews yesterday on the launch of Eco-rating I passed by London Eye. Then I noticed that there are almost no disposable cameras for sale in the small shops anymore. I realized that some years ago there would be hundreds. They are now replaced by the high quality camera in the mobile phone (for people that forgot their regular camera at home). Think about all the plastic and film and chemistry saved. Not to mention all the bad photo paper wasted on pictures that I remeber throwing away after they where taken with these inferior devices. Now, almost all people that forget their camera use their mobile phone (most people remeber to bring that) and if they print something then it is only the good pictures not every single frame.
I believe that if the functionality meets the customer requirement and expectation in a way that is easy and intuitive to use then the consumer will be very happy to replace a gadget or an activity. I remember the exact same discussion some years ago when e-mail was new. “E-mail does not save any paper, people print to read anyway”. Now, with better screens and improved user experience, I do not se anyone printing e-mails just to read. Yes, sometimes to file or bring directions on a trip but never just to read.
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