“In order to gain the public’s confidence in the assessment system, we have adopted the certification criteria of Eco-Label, the certification given to environmentally conscious products by the Ministry of Environment of Korea, the United States’ Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Certification, and the United States’ Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) Certification.” - Samsung

Google Already One Step Ahead

Google is a American multinational technology corporation that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, a search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. We use Google in our everyday lives: Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets, Google Contacts, Google Calendar, and more! Many students and classrooms use these appliances in their everyday lives. The current CEO, since 2015) is Sundar Pichai. Google has stated that their mission is helping people make a lasting and better impact on the world.

• Have partnered with nonprofits, research organizations, governments, and businesses to build custom technology and tools to accelerate meaningful change.

• Going 100% energy harnessed from solar, wind and other renewable products.

• Google has partnered up with many organizations helping to create a greener and resourceful world. 

• In order to tackle climate change, Google has given 2 million dollars to supporting communities and  possible customised post-grant support for Startups Accelerator to help make their ideas reality. 

• Carbon Neutral since 2007. 

Amazon’s Everything Store Plans 

Amazon is an American multinational technology corporation based in Seattle, Washington, which focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. From Amazon Prime, a streaming service for movies/tv shows, to shopping for food or clothing, Amazon has created a more affordable and diverse environment. Amazon’s CEO and Co-founder since 1996 is Jeff Bezos, who has been labeled the richest man in the world numerous times. In order to become more environmentally friendly, they have announced their next steps:

• The Climate Pledge: a commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement (international treaty for climate change).  Funding is over 2 billion dollars. 

• 100% Renewable energy - by 2025 (in 4 years) 

• Shipment methods and reducing the amount of carbon used through packaging and delivery. 

• Amazon has purchased 100,000 electric delivery vehicles, which is the largest amount ever asked. Instead of gasoline and burning fossil fuels. Electric Cars have been proven to be more environmentally friendly, yet still contribute global warming and pollution. 

• Amazon has invested $100 million in reforestation projects and climate mitigation solutions.

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POV From Both Tech and Environmental 

When people think of technology, they think of devices like phones, computers, laptops and even cars. How have tech companies tried to change that assumption? Now during the pandemic, we are constantly using technology for work, school, or anything needed to replace physical interaction. Different known tech companies and their plan to make the world greener and preserve the natural resources. How technology might be the solution to lessening the impact on global warming or environmental problems. Tech companies have polluted and used earth's resources in non beneficial ways which points to how most of the environment's issues are human caused.  We take advantage of the resources around us and it is catching up with us. Here at TYWLS we are proud to be one of the Apple Distinguished Schools and are big advocates for technology through our Robotics club and STEM Programs (Computer Science Program & Software Engineering). 

Emily Fields, the STEAM Director and CS Teacher at TYWLS, has had much experience with technology throughout college and entering into TYWLS as a computer science teacher. She has hosted the Hackathon event which encourages the young women at TYWLS to pursue male dominated careers and really take action on their talents for coding (wanting to solve community issues through technology). The Hackathon is an annual event that challenges the minds of software engineers, coders, designers and more in a competitive project. Fields has also guided the Robotics Team in partnering with the facilities of Cornell Tech and other opportunities provided by the Leadership Network. In fact, she was a part of a program through Pratt University where she got to learn more on embedded blended learning. Meaning, using technology in classrooms and making education a lot more efficient.  She was glad to share her perspective on if technology is really the cause of negative effects we have assumed over the years.

Although Emily has been more involved in the tech community, she is still doing her part in not contributing to plastic pollution saying, “How do I buy fruit without getting a plastic container? Trash has made me really annoyed.” Fields believes that technology and the idea of innovation shouldn’t be categorized as one negative cause in environmental factors. When asked about the impact of technology on the environment, she responded, “there are different aspects of it like hardware.” She later explains how things made in the past were made to last, such as the first refrigerator or automobile made. However, the present day has made things to last for a more limited amount of time.  The making of technology can be wasteful; technology is advancing at such a rapid rate that we are disposing of more than we are using.