HP gets another gold star (or somesuch) from EPEAT

Hewlett-Packard's latest line of workstations -- including the HP xw4550 Workstation, the HPxw6600 Workstation, the HP xw8600 Workstation and the HP xw9400 Workstation -- has earned a Gold listing from the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). No fooling!

The company also is touting its new HP Personal Computing Recycling Service, which helps companies get rid of old equipment. And, FINALLY, HP has started providing more tools that help its resellers and VARs have relevant green technology discussions with their partners. The information can be found on the HP Partner Portal (I'm not a partner, thus no link) under the name "Green Expressway." HP resellers are also being included in the new recycling program.

I have been bugged for more than a year now about the lack of connection between the green efforts of the big high-tech vendors and their reseller channels. That HP is finally doing something about this is a big deal, because, after all, most small businesses depend on some local VAR to help them make technology decisions.

HP reports that the systems are all "more than 90 percent recyclable by weight," with tool-less chassis to make for easier upgrades. The power supplies are 80 Plus technology, which are designed to be 15 percent more efficient than what traditionally has been available.

Incidentally, if you go to HP's Web site to check out one of these workstation models, you'll see a link for something called Renewable Energy Source. Being nosy, er curious, I clicked on it and was intrigued to find information about a portable power system called Anywhere Solar from Solartron Technologies. Check it out for yourself.