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Eco-Delivery: New Computer Packaging Eliminates
WasteOn April 21, 2005 the Department of Ecology observed Earth Day by celebrating Dell’s new computer packaging system which delivers computers in reusable containers. Dell presented Ecology with an award for being the Eco-Delivery pilot customer.
This new packaging system started with an email request from Mary Ellen Bradley, Ecology Information Resources Manager, to Kevin Flick, Dell Account Executive. The email asked Dell to help Ecology reduce its generation of solid waste by reducing the cardboard and styrofoam used in computer packaging. Kevin took this request to Dell executives and design staff, and they started to look at ways that they could assist us in this effort.
Department of Information Services became a partner in this project, informing Dell that DIS would be interested in using this delivery system when it was available. Since DIS purchases more computers than Ecology, this would give Dell more opportunity to reuse their shipping containers. DIS also worked with Ecology to incorporate environmental concerns in the Western States Contracting Alliance, a major contract state agencies use to purchase computers and related components at a volume-reduced price.
Ecology is piloting the Eco-Delivery system for Dell. Now, instead of one box per computer, 20 Small Desktops or 8 Mini-towers and the related keyboards, mice, cables and one set of CDs and manuals are delivered in one box. The box is returned to Dell once the computers have been removed and it is reused for their next shipment. This has resulted in significantly reducing our packaging waste! In addition, the boxes use 50% less space than the previous packaging.
This project would not have been possible without the cooperation and partnership between Ecology, DIS and Dell. Pictured:Carol Fleskes, Mary Ellen Bradley, Linda Talen, Kevin Flick(Dell) and Jane Smith. Not Pictured: Chuck Wilkowski and Patricia Jatczak.
Do you have something you want to get rid of, but it’s just too good to toss? You know someone out there must want it! A few years ago, counties and cities throughout the state expressed interest in developing a local goods exchange on the Internet.
This sounded like a great idea! Ecology decided to coordinate the
development of a statewide Internet site to reduce duplication of effort
and foster cooperation among local governments moving towards a similar
goal - to offer an alternative to landfilling useable items. The Web
site,
2good2toss.com
went online in 2003. To promote the Internet site, a marketing plan was
developed that included a logo and promotional materials for local
governments to use in their communities.
2good2toss.com became Washington’s online exchange for household items and reusable building materials. After simple registration on the Internet site, residents of a participating community can post items for sale under $99 or offer them for free. Anyone can browse the site. Arrangements for the exchange of an item are done between the two users.
Pictured: Shelly McClure, Waste Reduction and Recycling
Specialist
More Team Members: i-wasteNot systems developer, and Local
government partners (the counties of Pierce, Snohomish, Clark,
Lewis, Walla Walla, Columbia, Skagit, Thurston, Mason, Grays Harbor,
Kitsap, Spokane; and the cities of Tacoma, Vancouver, Shelton,
Richland. Coming soon, the counties of Clallam and Cowlitz and the
cities of Longview and Port Angeles
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
