With Spring now in full swing comes thoughts of green grass, blossoms and leaves on once barren trees and fresh air. With the environment on so many minds, especially at this time of year with Earth Day observation fast approaching on April 20th, our thoughts here at OWC stray toward the Going Green movement that has been an integral part of our corporate message since we were founded back in 1988.
From the green technologies incorporated into our corporate headquarters, through our actions and programs as a company, to our offerings and encouragement of going green to our customer base…our “Green” goals are set high. The resulting benefits will be far greater than merely financial.
OWC’s Green Actions:
OWC employs a comprehensive recycling program in its practices including onsite paper, plastic, aluminum can and metal recycling programs with the goal of maintaining a “zero solid waste” status. Additionally, OWC refuses non-recyclable pallets from vendor deliveries, recycles obsolete equipment through electronic equipment recyclers, and reuses packaging materials (such as foam peanuts, etc.) whenever possible.
In November 2005, we began the NuPower notebook battery recycling program. Elements from Li-Ion batteries can be recycled for use in multiple industries and proper disposal of other components prevents contamination to the environment.
NewerTech Battery Recycling Program
2650 Bridge Lane
Woodstock, IL 60098
OWC’s Green Headquarters:
By activating an on-site wind turbine in October 2009 at our Woodstock, IL corporate headquarters, OWC became the first technology manufacturer/distributor in the U.S. to become 100% on-site wind powered. The turbine cleanly generates more net energy than is consumed by our operations and datacenter. OWC’s leadership role in environmental stewardship was officially acknowledged in March 2010 when our corporate campus was awarded LEED “Platinum” Certification, the highest level given by the United States Green Building Council’s LEED program, for compliance with environmentally sound building methods which incorporate innovative use of “green” systems and materials including:
- Geothermal heating and cooling
- Indirect Daylighting and Daylight Harvesting
- Limestone substrate and permeable paving for environmentally friendly run-off water handling
- Use of bio swales, native plants and prairie grasses to maximize water conservation
- Water conservation through use of waterless urinals and dual-mode toilets
- “Smart” building technology, including sensors to detect, and adjust for, unoccupied rooms
Keep the Earth Clean & Your Wallet Green:
For over twenty one years, our business philosophy has revolved around getting the most from existing resources. That same sentiment resonates in our own product lines and services, which help you expand the capabilities, increase performance, and maintain the usability of gear you already own and extend its useful life. You may ask yourself, “how can OWC help me get the most out of my computer?”
For current system upgrades, look no further than OWC to keep your computer running for the longest life possible.
Memory – Allows you to get the most performance from your current computer – thus keeping it from a landfill fate.
DIY Hard Drive Upgrade Kits – Allow you to get more storage in your laptop and re-purpose the existing drive.
NewerTech Voyager – Allows you to re-use your bare hard drives without the need of multiple enclosures.
NuPower Longer life batteries – Allow you to get the most life from your laptop.
Battery Charger / Conditioners – Allow you to get the most life from your laptop batteries themselves.
Don’t want to perform the upgrade yourself? No problem.
OWC offers several upgrade services from iPod Battery, to Mac Mini, to Apple TV, to iBook, to any other upgrade. Contact our Sales department for pricing.
Additionally, Other World Computing carries several additional products to help you go green by monitoring your power usage, controlling your power usage, and cleaning without chemicals.
Monitor your power usage:
PowerCost Monitor real-time power monitoring device.
KILL A WATT Realtime power monitoring device.
Reduce your power waste:
Bits Limited Smart Strip Power Strip W/ Autoswitching Technology 10 Outlet Surge Protector
APC Power-Saving Essential SurgeArrest 7 Outlet Surge Protector
APC BACK-UPS ES 10 Ten Outlet Battery Backup Master Control
Belkin Conserve – Energy Saving 8-Outlet Surge Protector with Remote Switch
Clean without Chemicals:
Lenspen VidiMax Ultra: Deluxe LCD / Plasma Screen Cleaning Kit.
OWC’s “Green” philosophy isn’t just a sentimental “greenwashing” marketing tool, it really is a way of life here. The payback is all around us, and with each new Green undertaking, people will see that they too, can take part in making the world “Green,” one project at a time. And that each of us, can indeed, make a difference.
