As the number of consumers pursuing eco-friendly consumption increases, the term 'eco-sumer' (Eco+Consumer) has emerged. We are making environmentally friendly moves, from using reusable products to purchasing upcycled products.

As eco-friendly trends and eco-consumers spread widely, it is also influencing IT companies, leading to ESG management and production of eco-friendly products.

In line with the carbon neutrality and eco-friendly trends, the IT industry is introducing eco-friendly material products tailored to consumers' tastes in celebration of Earth Day on the 22nd.

■ Use of recycled materials is the trend...Samsung, Logitech, Dell introduce eco-friendly material products Samsung Electronics is using materials made from recycled fishing nets, so-called "ghost nets," in the Galaxy S22 series (smartphone), Galaxy Tab S8 series (tablet PC), and Galaxy Book 2 Pro series (laptop PC) released earlier this year.

According to the results of the 'Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)' conducted by UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a global safety certification agency, 4.4 tons of carbon is generated when producing 1 ton of general plastic (MS-51), while carbon emissions from recycled fishing net plastic (OM-52) are It was confirmed that it stopped at 3.3 tons.

This means that when producing 1 ton of plastic used as parts for various electronic products, recycling discarded fishing nets can reduce carbon emissions by 1.1 tons, or about 25%, compared to the existing method. 1.1 tons of carbon is equivalent to the amount absorbed by 120 30-year-old pine trees in about a year.

The marine waste materials used in the Galaxy S22 and other products are produced by separating, cutting, cleaning, and extruding discarded fishing nets collected near the Indian Ocean, then processing them into polyamide resin pellets and optimizing them into parts.

In particular, Samsung Electronics is promoting the 'Galaxy for the Planet' strategy and plans to pursue the following by 2025: △ Applying recycled materials to all new Galaxy products, △ Removing plastic materials from product packaging, △ Reducing standby power for all smartphone chargers, and △ Reducing landfill waste by recycling waste generated at all MX business sites around the world.

In addition, various companies are emphasizing eco-friendly elements by utilizing recycled materials. Logitech, which produces computer peripherals, released the Bluetooth wireless keyboard 'MX Keys Mini' using recycled materials. The graphite color uses 30% recycled plastic, and the pale gray and rose pink colors use 12% recycled plastic. The product packaging also strengthened eco-friendly elements by using paper made from wood from forests certified by the U.S. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Dell, an electronics manufacturing company, has launched the eco-friendly laptop 'Latitude 5000' that uses recycled carbon fiber and bioplastic from trees. 21% of the LCD cover material is made of bioplastic from trees, and 100% of the paint products use water-based paint with low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. It has met the eco-friendly standards by receiving the highest grade, gold, in the US electronics eco-friendly certification system certified by UL and the US Green Electronics Association.

■ IBM Announces Global Consumer Research... Environmental Awareness and Behavior According to data released by IBM Korea in celebration of Earth Day, global consumers' awareness of the environment is being expressed in action, the company said on the 21st.

According to a recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), more than half of respondents said environmental sustainability is more important than it was a year ago. Sixty percent of respondents said more than half of the products they recently purchased came from environmentally sustainable or socially responsible brands. Additionally, nearly half of the respondents, 49%, said they would purchase products from brands that contribute to ESG even if it meant spending 59% more.

“Consumers have signaled that they are willing to make inconveniences to protect our planet, and this is leading to action,” said Sherri Hinisch, global head of IBM Consulting Sustainability Services. “Companies need to support consumers in making the best choices for sustainability.”

Electric vehicles (EVs) were assessed as having made significant progress. Four out of 10 respondents said they travelled in an EV at least once a month last year. In addition, more than a third (35%) said they had stopped using their gasoline-powered cars or were using them less because of environmental concerns.

“Consumer decisions can have a huge impact on a company’s bottom line, and consumers are demanding more sustainable choices,” said Heaney. “By providing a clearer and more accessible pathway to responsible consumption, executives can do much more to build a sustainable future for our planet, our customers and our business.”

Meanwhile, this phenomenon is not limited to just purchasing products. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they would make more sustainable choices at home. Sixty-two percent of individual investors surveyed said they would consider sustainability in their investment portfolios. Two out of three respondents said they would be more willing to work for an organization that pursues environmental sustainability.