5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with Samsung

Earth Day is a perfect time to reflect on how to contribute to environmental sustainability. At Samsung Electronics America, our commitment to sustainability – from ENERGY STAR certification to e-waste collection – means that we can reduce our environmental impact and invite consumers to adjust theirs.  That’s why Samsung supports the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Earth Day initiative to encourage the use of ENERGY STAR products and advance consumers’ use of renewable energy and electric vehicle charging stations.

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For Earth Day, EPA recognized Samsung as a leader in climate protection through energy efficiency and green power because Samsung works to integrate sustainability into all the company does.  We’re proud of our programs that help us and our consumers conserve, recycle and rely on renewable energy.  To commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day this year, here are a few ways Samsung is ready to help everyone reduce their environmental impact.

1. ENERGY STAR Appliances

When you use any of Samsung’s ENERGY STAR certified appliances, you’re greening because, according to the EPA, products that earn the ENERGY STAR label are independently certified to save energy, save money and protect the climate. Last month, the EPA awarded Samsung with the 2020 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for superior contributions to the agency’s ENERGY STAR Program, the government-backed label for energy efficiency. Notably, Samsung’s home appliance product lineup has a significant portion of products that are ENERGY STAR certified, including 100% of our dishwashers, 96% of washers, 94% of refrigerators, and 64% of dryers. In 2019, more than 30 of our appliances were designated by the EPA as ENERGY STAR “Most Efficient” models, an increase of 43% from 2018, and every washer coming out of our Newberry, SC facility is also ENERGY STAR certified.

The 2020 Samsung Family Hub™ Side-by-Side large capacity refrigerator, shown in Stainless Steel, above, is not only ENERGY STAR certified but also features a low-Global Warming Potential refrigerant and insulation blowing agent, to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To take advantage of rebates available when purchasing ENERGY STAR appliances, go to the rebate center on Samsung.com to find offers available within your zip code.

Source: Samsung Global Newsroom

2. Eco-Friendly Packaging

The tray your Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone arrived nestled in. The product-protecting bags your clothes washer shipped in. Did you notice they aren’t made of plastic? Your next Samsung television may arrive in eco-friendly packaging made of corrugated cardboard that’s easier to recycle and upcycle. It’s designed for creative reuse and includes instructions for assembling the cardboard pieces into a small end table, magazine rack or a house for a pet. And by the end of 2020, Samsung is working to ensure that 100% of the paper used in our packaging and product manuals will be sustainably sourced from third-party-certified providers to promote responsible management of the world’s forests.

3. E-Waste Initiatives

Rest assured that your old electronics will never really die, because recycling ensures the materials will go on to their next good use. Creating e-waste solutions together with our partners and consumers, Samsung provides convenient and responsible takeback options for consumer electronic products. For example, Samsung partners with Call2Recycle, a not-for-profit organization, for convenient takeback of consumer rechargeable batteries and cellphones. Need to recycle old batteries? Find a drop-off location near you here.

In addition to recycling batteries, Samsung collects and recycles a robust 100 million pounds of e-waste annually in the U.S. through the support of more than 500 drop-off locations and recycling events for e-waste across the U.S. and is continually working with our recycling partners to expand the collection network. Our e-waste efforts in the U.S. are all a part of the company’s global goal this year to cumulatively collect and recycle eight billion pounds of electronics since 2009.

Working with ERI and other e-Stewards certified recyclers, Samsung ensures more than 100 million pounds of electronic waste is responsibly recycled every year. (Photo courtesy of ERI)

4. Sourcing Renewable Energy

Samsung is focused on protecting our planet and doing our part as a global environmental steward to minimize the company’s carbon footprint and boost the deployment of renewable energy technologies. We’ve pledged to source renewable energy for 100% of the energy used for all our factories, office buildings and operational facilities in the U.S., Europe and China by the end of 2020 and remain on track to do so. In fact, the EPA awarded Samsung Electronics America and two of Samsung’s U.S. semiconductor affiliates the 2019 Green Power Leadership Award for Excellence in Green Power Use.

Samsung 837, located in New York City, is an ENERGY STAR-certified and LEED-certified green building.

You can maximize the green factor in your household, too. Take the EPA’s ENERGY STAR pledge to learn about and commit to energy-saving actions in your home. Simple activities like replacing old lightbulbs with energy-efficient varieties and changing air conditioning system filters regularly will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Earth Science students in Ishpeming, Michigan, were one of 20 classrooms to win Samsung technology for their successful completion of the Climate Superstars Challenge in November 2019.

5. Enabling Environmental Education 

Samsung partners with ENERGY STAR and the National Environmental Education Foundation to offer Climate Superstars, a 10-day online environmental challenge that gets middle school-aged students learning about the environment and excited about how they can take an active role in caring for its future. This partnership uses a fun learning platform to spread awareness among youth about the importance of ENERGY STAR. Students complete short tasks geared toward environmental literacy and energy efficiency for a chance to win technology prizes for their classrooms. Teachers can learn more about the Samsung Climate Superstars Challenge curriculum here and teachers can sign up to participate at NEEFusa.org/education/climate-superstars.