Average global temperatures have rapidly increased by 0.3 - 0.6 degrees over the past hundred years, and if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase at their current rate, average temperatures are expected to increase by about 2 degrees by the year 2100. In September of 2007, the area of the arctic covered by sea ice reached its smallest extent ever recorded in the history of its observation. The sea ice is also expected to completely melt away over summers in the near future, and it has been suggested that the polar bear, a creature whose lives are dependent on the arctic, could become extinct within 100 years.
Up to 30% of wildlife species worldwide (including polar bears) could be wiped out in an extinction crisis caused by a 1 - 3 increase in atmospheric temperatures, and that figured is predicted to rise to 40% or more if the increase in temperatures is 4 degrees or higher. Additionally, it is conceivable that aberrant weather phenomena such as intensified typhoons, hurricanes, droughts, and heat waves could occur more frequently as a result of warming. Up to one sixth of the world’s population could be affected by water shortage crises, which could also lead to poverty, famine, and conflicts over water, resources, and food. To help tackle the problem of global warming, we are working to limit the greenhouse gas emissions caused by our business activities companywide.
Specific initiatives
In order to prevent global warming, all employees will work as one to promote the following policies and cut CO2 emissions.
(1) Management of air conditioning temperature settings
To help prevent global warming, we support the popular movement “Challenge 25 Campaign,” endeavor to set office environment cooling settings to 28°C or higher and heating settings to a maximum of 22°C, and are working to implement the Cool Biz and Warm Biz initiatives in summer and winter, respectively.
(2) Power economizing for company lighting and lights
We are working to limit the use of lighting and lights by switching off any illumination sources that are not required for business activities at any given time.
(3) Limiting power consumption by establishing days on which employees are to leave work at a designated time
We have established Wednesdays as days on which employees are to leave work at a designated time (“No Overtime Days”), and are working to limit power consumption by having all employees leave work at once.
(4) Energy saving settings for PC power sources
We are working to limit power consumption using energy saving mode settings for PCs and by powering off displays when away from one’s seat.
(5) Waste material reduction and recycling initiatives
We are working to reduce our carbon footprint during the waste disposal and recycling stages by reducing the amount of waste produced by our factories, improving the ratio of recycled resources used, etc.
(6) Initiatives in the product development stage
In order to use limited global energy resources as efficiently as possible, we are working to develop energy-saving (i.e. reducing their energy consumption, reducing them in size/weight) products.
(7) Improving production efficiency through “Manufacturing Reform”
We are working to improve production efficiency by reviewing product layouts and production methods in our production processes.