We’re proud to say that we’ve done much to reduce the harm done to our environment while continuing to offer the highest possible level of service for our customers.  The equivalent of 7 million trees saved is a very impressive number, in our opinion, and we consider our use of safe, environmentally friendly materials as a badge of honor.  While we do quite a lot, there is always more that can be done. The goal of zero waste is a holy grail of sorts for any business that is serious about truly being green.  While this goal is achievable for many companies, it’s extremely difficult for many others to reach because of internal issues or the nature of their business.

One reason is size.  Large corporations have many different arms of the company to manage, and if just one is not operating efficiently it can ruin the entire corporation’s progress to the goal.  Other companies face hurdles because of the type of business they’re in.  Businesses that deal in consumer electronics have incredibly high amounts of e-waste due to the quick turnover of products.

Fortunately, many companies are working to resolve their internal issues and continue setting ambitious goals to reduce their waste to zero.  Sprint, for example, has set a goal of zero e-waste by 2017.  Over the next six years, the company has plans to collect 100% of its own electronic waste for reuse and recycling, and will require all of its recycling and remanufacturing vendors to meet one of several responsible recycling certifications.  These goals are lofty, to be sure, but by setting the bar high, Sprint is making itself accountable and, by extension, the entire mobile and telecomm industry.  Surely Sprint’s competitors don’t want to appear as if they don’t have strong green initiatives in place and risk a negative image in an incredibly competitive market.

Each industry needs a trendsetter for the green initiative, otherwise the status quo remains and the damage to the environment created by poor practices may be too much to repair.  We applaud Sprint for setting a high standard and look forward to others following their lead and making a major American industry greener and more economically appealing.