LG Encourages Corporates to Go Green with their Products

LG South Africa has welcomed government’s commitment to green energy and believes that corporates should aid them in meeting their 2020 environmental targets.

This, LG believes, can be accomplished by companies turning their manufacturing processes green and through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
CSR is not a new concept, but over the past decade its focus has shifted from labour issues and community causes toward environmental actions.

According to JM Lee, CEO of LG Electronics South Africa, there are more options available to manufacture products that are energy efficient and environmental friendly. “Enhanced efficiency does not only save energy and protect the environment by helping prevent pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, it also brings financial benefits to both corporates and consumers,” said Lee.

Governments, including South Africa, are also doing their part towards achieving their 2020 environmental targets. Last month Energy Minister Dipuo Peters announced South Africa’s plan to procure an additional 3.2GW of renewable energy capacity by 2020 under its Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP).

LG continues to be a leader in developing green innovations based on three elements: energy, human, and resources. To manage the whole life-cycle of the products, LG has implemented Eco-Design in the product design process and developed an Eco-Index to assess the environmental impact of a product. The company’s products have also been named most energy efficient on a number of occasions.

“We are always looking for innovative ideas and technologies which will support our efforts as a leading company in practicing environmental management. Our commitment to customer-oriented environmentally-friendly innovation has resulted in a full range of more energy-efficient products and services, from consumer electronics to appliances.”

Energy-efficient TVs:
ENERGY STAR qualified TVs save energy both in standby and active modes and use about 40 percent less energy than standard TVs. LG TVs featuring their intelligent sensor automatically calibrate and optimise brightness, contrast, white balance and colour, based on the ambient light in the room.

In addition, LG TVs’ new interior lighting, based on LED technology, saves energy because LED uses far less energy than older methods using conventional light bulbs. LED lights also save on energy used in manufacturing because of their long lives – typical incandescent bulbs last 750 hours, while LED lights can last up to 30,000 hours.

Energy-efficient refrigerators and linear compressors:
In many homes, the refrigerator is among the top three most expensive appliances to operate. Replacing an old refrigerator with a new ENERGY STAR qualified model will provide substantial savings. LG has worked hard to achieve the ENERGY STAR program requirements for many of its kitchen appliances, such as dishwashers and refrigerators.

With LG’s new linear compressor, power output is variable so it is able to regulate small temperature changes without being on full power. This means there are fewer temperature swings, resulting in less energy use and lower operating costs. The linear compressor saves 8 percent to 17% in energy usage versus previous models with conventional compressors.

Energy-efficient washing machines:
LG washing machines have an energy efficient temperature control feature that enables users to save water and electricity. Its 6Motion technology is powered by the direct drive motor, which operates without belts or pulleys, sending power directly from the motor to the drum for increased efficiency, reduced noise and vibration, and a longer operating life.

In 2011, 406 LG product models, including TVs, refrigerators and washing machines earned the Energy Star Service Mark. Among those that qualified, eight TV models, two refrigerator models and three washing machine models were certified as ENERGY STAR.

LG is in a very strong position to act as a global leader in the context of consumer electronics-related corporate responsibilities. The company owns and operates extensive R&D facilities, and this infrastructure and industry know-how gives LG the ability to use technological innovation to overcome product safety and environmental protection concerns.