Given the rise in environmental awareness, businesses today are always looking for green alternatives like recycled paper, biodegradable cups, long-lasting fluorescent bulbs and so on. Greening your business is good for the environment and good for your public image. Think of it like carbon street credit. Now, for all of you looking to green your computer systems, you have an option that will make your desktop system as green as a hemp briefcase.

Lenovo, the folks that took over IBM’s Personal Computer division and now bring you the ThinkPad, now offers the first EPEAT Gold-rated desktop computer system. They did this by matching the ThinkVision L190p , which is the first product in the EPEAT registry to use more than 25% post-consumer recycled content in its plastic parts, with its popular ThinkCentre A61e. "With the first PC monitor rated EPEAT Gold, Lenovo has achieved a milestone in the greening of the electronics industry," said Jeff Omelchuck, executive director, Green Electronics Council. "The EPEAT system helps purchasers evaluate, compare and select PC products based on their environmental attributes. By developing a monitor that achieves EPEAT's Gold ranking Lenovo is demonstrating its commitment to providing purchasers with high quality, environmentally responsible products."

EPEAT, which was developed in cooperation with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, is a system to help purchasers select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes. The system provides a clear and consistent set of performance criteria for the design of products, and provides an opportunity for manufacturers to secure market recognition for efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its products. “The EPEAT tool evaluates products based on 51 environmental criteria in the areas of reduction/elimination of environmentally sensitive materials, design for end of life, product longevity/lifecycle extension, energy conservation, end of life management, packaging and corporate performance. To earn EPEAT Gold status, the ThinkVision L193p monitor had to meet all 23 required criteria as well as at least 20 of EPEAT's 28 optional criteria. Lenovo has delivered a comprehensive line of energy efficient and environmentally responsible products, from notebooks to desktops to monitors," said Jim Christensen, director, Global Desktop and Visuals Marketing, Lenovo. "We have more than 40 products that are listed within the EPEAT system with our whole line of Performance Series monitors rated at least EPEAT Silver. The EPEAT Gold rated ThinkVision L193p monitor is our first step toward our goal of elevating all of our monitors to this status."

In addition to the EPEAT Gold rating, all of Lenovo's new Performance Series monitors are TCO'03 certified by TCO Development. This certification deals with ergonomics, emissions, energy and ecology. All of Lenovo's LCD monitors also meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star 4.0 requirements for energy efficiency also required by EPEAT. When combined with Lenovo's ThinkCentre A61e desktop, the solution is 57 percent more efficient than previous Lenovo desktops paired with a 19-inch CRT monitor.

America’s Best Companies members who are looking to green their computer operations  have an opportunity to save up to 35% on select award-winning ThinkPad notebooks and innovative ThinkCentre desktops from Lenovo. Discounts are also available on select software and accessories. Visit Lenovo’s Partner Page for more information.