Posted on Sat, May 15, 2010
The 2010 MPS Conference in San Antonio confirms the industry is growing. It's also very interesting to see where all of these participants line up on the MPS curve.
The attendance was great, with more than double the participants from the 2009 event. In addition, of these attendees, more than 75% have been providing an MPS solution for fewer than five years. This includes manufacturers revising their go-to-market strategies (Ricoh, HP, Canon, OKI, Xerox, etc.), IT Providers, traditional Copier Resellers, Toner/Supply Remanufacturers, and Workflow Solution Providers. With such a diverse group seeking a better understanding of what it means to provide a true Managed Print solution (and how to provide that solution), the Conference was split into multiple tracks to provide this support for the new entrants into the MPS space. There was also a track for end-user customers that provided some additional research around industry solutions and best practices.
As one of the pioneers of Managed Print Services, and the largest independent MPS provider in North America, LaserNetworks participated in several of these discussions around Best Practices. We also led a session around the environment and how a well-deployed MPS solution can provide customers with a significant reduction in their carbon footprint. Beyond being recognized as one of the Top 5 Green IT Solution Providers in Canada, LaserNetworks' commitment to the environment, and specifically to the reduction of carbon emissions has long been a core value of the company. Below was the kickoff slide from my presentation, showing the near perfect correlation between the increase in global temperatues and the increase in CO2 emissions.
You'll also note the significant ‘hockey stick' over the past few decades as industrialization and emissions have increased at an alarming rate. In terms of MPS, I believe a properly deployed solution, focused on maximizing user productivity & the useful life of assets, will drive down this carbon footprint. There was also a very interesting discussion around the footprint calculation associated with the manufacturing of a device. Often the energy calculations presented to customers shows energy savings afforded by switching to the newer technology. This is absolutely true & is good for the environment when the device must be upgraded due to SLA or technology changes. However, the footprint associated with manufacturing a new machine should also be captured somewhere in the analysis. This was also an opinion shared by Dr. David Suzuki, a leader voice on climate change. (See my previous post)
Unfortunately (to date), I have not been able to find any statistics on the carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing of a new copier, printer, or MFP. The closest I have come is a study by Toyota on the manufacturing footprint of the Toyota Prius, which came in at 28%. So, would the impact of an MFP be greater because it doesn't use gas & oil to power its operation...or would the impact be less because it uses paper (can have a significant footprint) and the toner cartridges are often used only once before being sent for recycling? If anyone has info on this manufacturing footprint, it would be greatly appreciated if you could provide us with some additional insight.
Note: for anyone that would like to discuss the presentation or learn more about LaserNetworks and the initiatives we've undertaken to minimize our carbon footprint, please email me at bstevenson@lasernetworks.com.
Again, I thought the conference was excellent & the topics were relevant. News that the Managed Print Services Association now has over 1,000 members (yeah, a bit of a plug for the Association as I am a Board Member representing the MPS Providers) further cements the growth in Managed Print.
One area I'd like to see the Conference add to its agenda next year is around security. Whether it's hardcopy, electronic workflow, old images that may reside on hard drives, or what complications may reside in the cloud, many of our customers are very concerned with this topic.
Congratulations to San Antonio for hosting a great conference (and my birthday!) & looking forward to seeing our European counterparts in Barcelona this November.
Posted on Wed, Apr 21, 2010
Can you imagine we have been celebrating Earth Day for the past 40 years? Wow...time flies. Seems like only yesterday the US government proposed legally binding restrictions on the use of ozone-depleting chemicals (btw, that was 1987). In any event, I'm sure like most of us, you are contemplating your personal and/or professional impact on the environment today.
From my perspective, it's good to see more companies establishing green mandates and purchasing policies, and that's good news for the environment. In fact, it could be argued that business and individuals alike have been pushing the ‘green movement' with far more success than our global governments. One is Cisco's One Million Acts of Green. Another area that is working to reduce waste is Managed Print Services (MPS) and we should all be proud of the strides were making in the reduction of waste.
The first step to reducing impact is having a full understanding of resources and processes. That's where Stage 1 of MPS comes in. Stage 2 begins with the consolidation and selection of responsible vendors, selecting supplies and devices that are efficient and responsible and then looking to improve workflow by turning paper processes into electronic ones leads us into Stage 3. A good MPS consultant works with the customer to reduce waste while maximizing the useful life of existing devices, and that's good for the environment...and also a customer's bottom line.
For LaserNetworks, the environment has long been a pillar of both our culture and our vision. This year, we are helping our customers become ‘Print Neutral' during Earth Month. In reviewing some of the facts, we will be planting almost 3,000 trees to off set one month of our customers office printing...and these 5,000 trees simply come from twenty of our largest customers.
Next month at the MPS Conference in San Antonio I will be giving a presentation on Green IT and how you can utilize MPS to support your customer's green initiatives. Until then, here's a list of Printing Tips to reduce your environmental impact.
Posted on Mon, Nov 30, 2009
Dr. David Suzuki is an award-winning Scientist, Broadcaster, and global thought leader in sustainable Ecology. He's also the most recognizable Canadian face on the fight against climate change. We'll give the American ‘face' to Al Gore.
When asked about his thoughts on how the IT sector is doing to reduce their environmental impact on the planet, Dr. Suzuki begins by stating ‘I'm not an expert in this area...I have no idea'. However, for the next five minutes, he provides a very interesting and thought-provoking view on the subject. Suzuki discusses the ‘built-in obsolescence of technology' and the need for companies and industries to embrace progress. Here is Dr. Suzuki's interview with CDN / ITBusiness Canada.
Looking past the politics, I agree with Suzuki's view that we must improve the life cycle management of IT products. Think PCs, Servers, Printers/Copiers. One of his thoughts is to build an environmental cost (carbon tax?) into the price of a new device. OK, possibly a bit radical...but many people agree something should be done to openly discuss the real impact technology is having on the environment. Further, to move to a tax would take strong government support as I don't see or hear HP, Cisco, Samsung, Xerox, or Dell suggesting this ‘tax' be added to the cost of their hardware. Although, like Suzuki says about the auto industry, if a manufacturer took this progressive position, they could be seen as the undisputed environmental leader in the industry...and likely have a resulting business benefit for their company.
In terms of assessing the ‘real' costs associated with upgrading technology, there are some environmental factors that should be included...some positive & some having a negative impact to the planet. On the plus side, IT products are becoming more energy efficient. Anything that reduces heat & electricity consumption is a net positive for the environment. On the other side, there are significant environmental costs associated with the manufacturing of new products. The list extends beyond the manufacturing process to include chlorine packaging, shipping (most frequently from Asia), disposal/recycling of the old hardware, disposal/recycling of the packaging, water & air pollution, etc. The current reality is the impact on the environment is almost always greater (worse) to purchase a new machine then it is to maintain and better support the current deployed asset.
If companies adopt Suzuki's recommendations, they will shift to refreshing technology on an ‘as needed' basis. An analysis including both technology and the environment will allow companies to make decisions with full disclosure. Under this model, companies would maximize the useful life of all products, refreshing for technology when required. Assuming the deployment of a strong Managed Services offering, the net result for the customer should be:
- Maximized user productivity
- Reduced capital expenditures on hardware
- Latest technology capabilities where required
- Appropriate compensation for the environment
Climate change may turn out to be one of the most important issues of the next 100 years and Dr. Suzuki believes we have a responsibility to build our economy in a sustainable fashion that includes technological progress in balance with promoting global conservation. After listening to Dr. David Suzuki speak, you will come away with a better understanding about how he believes a healthy business can exist within a healthy planet.
Posted on Wed, Nov 25, 2009
For the 2nd consecutive year, ITBusiness Canada recognizes LaserNetworks as one of the Top ‘Green IT' Providers in Canada.
We totally believe that results matter...and equally important, is how we achieve those results. For 2009, LaserNetworks is very honoured to have been recognized as the Top Managed Services Provider along with one of the Top ‘Green IT' Providers for 2009. Here's a link from ITBusiness Canada that talks about our environmental efforts.
http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/Home/News.asp?id=55228
Without a doubt, we're proud of the work we do for the environment, both internally and with partner companies such as Bullfrog Power. We're also proud of the difference we're making for our customers, providing environmental products that produce significantly less carbon emissions when compared to traditional OEM products.
Being a ‘founding' company of Managed Print Services with our trademarked Cost Per Page® program almost 15 years ago, we acknowledge our position as the gold standard for responsible print management and will continue to improve our processes as we attempt to become the first carbon-neutral company in the industry. Still more to be done!!!