HP and, increasingly, Walmart, have been putting a lot of effort into their sustainability programs. The latest news from both of these companies is a unique application of these ideas to a popular consumer product, the computer notebook.
Walmart recently challenged it consumer electronics suppliers to come up with a product innovation that reduces the environmental impact for it product category while also employing great design that attracts consumers. Oh, and don’t forget that the packaging design should also facilitate reuse and recycling, reduce waste and reduce or eliminate the use of toxic materials.
The winner is an HP notebook that comes in messenger bag made from 100% recycled materials. It is displayed in the bag and that is how customers who buy it will take it home. All other packaging has been eliminated, thereby making it easier for consumers to make a more environmentally responsible choice by removing the need to dispose of cardboard, foam or plastic typically found in consumer electronics packaging.
By reducing product packaging by 97%, HP is able to conserve fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by removing the equivalent of one out of every four trucks previously needed to deliver the notebooks.
The HP Pavilion dv6929 Entertainment Notebook is exclusively available in nearly 1,700 Walmart stores and 594 Sam’s Club locations for $798.
