VeryPC is a small, but innovative hardware and business support company based in Sheffield. Since the foundation of the company in 2004, VeryPC has battled against the I.T. Industry standard, and keeping ahead of the market with environmentally friendly innovations such as the “GreenPC 478” launched in September 2006, and “GreenHive TM” launched in March 2008.
VeryPC’s ethos is “there is more to environmentally friendly computing than reduced energy consumption”. When developing a new “green” product, VeryPC looks at every aspect, from the manufacture of each component, the distribution, to the energy savings and the longevity of the finished product for the user. This is to try and directly combat the two major issues of energy consumption and the volume of waste produced. This allows VeryPC to create a very specific rule-set to which all the green products we manufacture have to adhere to. For example:
- All components need to be RoHS compliant to reduce the amount of hazardous materials which are released into the environment.
- All our products have reduced plastics contents, instead VeryPC try to use as much aluminum in the cases as possible, because our research has show this is the most environmentally friendly material to use, due to its low melting point and widely available recycling facilities.
- We are fully WEEE registered, so all our customers’ waste is fully recycled rather than ending up in landfill.
- All our PCs are in the smallest from factor possible, which reduces the amount of materials used, and reduces the amount of distribution energy required
- All our green products have been produced from the latest components available on the market to ensure they perform better for longer. VeryPC also provide the option of having a 5 year warranty to try and encourage customers to go for longevity in their I.T. equipment.
- VeryPC plant trees in the company Grove, Caledonian Forest, in association with Trees For Life (Scotland). All the trees planted are native species, and most are slow growing deciduous trees, so as not to disrupt the existing ecology.
VeryPC have also been working hard to communicate the importance, and financial benefits of moving towards more environmentally friendly solutions within the business and consumer markets. This has been achieved through explanatory advertising campaigns, showing customers how to calculate the environmental impact of their existing solutions compared to our greener alternatives. VeryPC also educate businesses as to all the hidden energy factors, such as air conditioning, which is being used to combat the waste heat the computer equipment is giving off.
VeryPC as a company are also “practicing what we preach”, so to speak. The company uses its own green I.T products in the offices and workshops, and is in the process of moving into new, environmental award winning premises. The new premises use heat exchange pumps for heating and cooling, and are super insulated.
VeryPC is also conscious of the waste produced in the manufacturing process and has a packaging recycling policy, where the packaging from components is re-used in part of the packaging of the finished products for shipping to customers. Any recyclable packaging, which cannot be re-used in this way, where possible, is placed in recycling bins, (cardboard packaging only). Waste paper from the office is also recycled as animal bedding, and then composted, along with teabags and food waste from the staffroom. VeryPC is currently looking for scrap metal merchants who will recycle the waste metals produced.
