Since the industrial revolution, human activities have been causing emissions of greenhouse gasses, mainly carbon dioxide. This has caused an environmental problem and the Earth's climate is changing because the temperature is rising. This unnatural process is known as global warming. Expectedly, global warming will increase storms activities, melting of ice caps on the poles causing flooding of the inhabited continents, increasing sea levels, acidification of the marine life and other environmental problems. It is estimated that the CO2 emissions of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry alone exceed the carbon output of the entire aviation industry. The ICT industry has a collective responsibility to help address this problem. But using ICT in a smart way could help reduce energy consumption in energy-hungry sectors such as buildings, transport and logistics and save 15 per cent of the total CO2 emissions by 2020. After realising that energy consumption has reached a staggering rate, companies are now trying to “out-green” each other. Microsoft, the world's giant software company, plays a vital role in greening the environment. Ali Kamal, Microsoft Egypt public relations manager, states that "Microsoft has a number of IT solutions that deliver significant savings through a combination of energy conservation, improved workflow and streamlined deployment". For instance, Windows Vista has built in power management features that can reduce a company's energy use by 30 per cent. Then comes Windows 7, with this new version organisations can take advantage of additional efficiencies that reduce power consumption and can help lower energy costs. Moreover, Microsoft Hohm application helps one save energy and money. Hohm uses advanced analytics to give its user highly personalised energy saving recommendations for his house. These recommendations are tailored based on one's specific household circumstances. Kamal says that Microsoft tries to implement the notion of being environmentally conscious through different initiatives and competitions. "Take for example the 2008 Imagine Cup competition. Its theme was Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment. That theme challenged and inspired nearly 190,000 people from over 100 countries to create technology solutions that could help change the world and improve the lives of millions." he adds. Moreover, "we have an authorised refurbisher programme that gives computers a second life," clarifies Kamal. The discarded machines find a second life at non-profit organisations, schools and in low-income families around the globe through Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher Programme (MAR), which is helping the industry extend the life of computers. When it comes to electronic products, Duke Park, the branch manager of Samsung's Cairo office, clarifies that electronic products have a large environmental impact during the usage period due to long life cycles. Almost six years ago, Samsung developed and set up the Eco-Design Assessment system. This system manages its products' compliance with environmental criteria developed based on resource efficiency, energy efficiency and eco friendly materials. Park clarifies that Samsung invests US$4.28 billion on research and development. This includes US$2.46 billion for development of eco friendly products and US$1.82 billion for energy-saving technologies and greening of manufacturing facilities. When it comes to recycling, Samsung discovered a new use for old LCD panel glass as a subsidiary material to cement, improving its recycling rate from 0 per cent to 85 per cent. The LCD division replaced paper palettes with reusable plastics, which has significantly enhanced the efficiency of the wrapping process by reducing box damages during the logistics process and enabling continuous reuse. Within the same context, Nokia's Middle East and Africa environment manager, Mia Ranta-aho, explains that an estimated two thirds of the energy consumed by a mobile device during its usage is lost when it is fully charged and unplugged but the charger is left connected to the mains – in so called “noload”mode.
