@Christian. Thank you for bringing this to our attention…I sent your post to the global team responsible for optimizing packaging materials throughout our business and supply chain and they’re looking into it. Having worked on packaging-reduction initiatives in the past, I can tell you these efforts are a key part of our commitment to become the “greenest” technology company on the planet. Last year alone, we saved more than 24,000 tons of packaging material by reducing and eliminating corrugated, plastic foam and wood materials. One of our newer programs (Multipack) for server customers helps reduce collateral materials by up to 75 percent, which in turn also reduces paper use and material waste.

In addition to reduced packaging, we’re also focused on enhancing the energy efficiency of our products, meeting a company-wide commitment to go carbon neutral and finding new ways to partner with customers to promote recycling and climate protection.

We’re always looking for ways to build on these commitments, so your comments are appreciated.

Best,

Sean

Sean wanted to let me know that Dell is in fact a green company. I believe him, and I know that Dell, along with thousands of other US and Global organizations have taken the initiative to reduce their carbon footprint. However, a lot of those companies miss small things that may have a big impact (such as small CDs coming in huge boxes, filled with packaging material), and customers start to notice. Telling me you are green, and not doing anything about it, is brown.

A few days later, I received a very encouraging email, which I was very pleased with:

Christian, just wanted to circle back and let you know that we’re working this now. As much as we would like this to be a very simple fix it isn’t. But you do have our commitment that we will have this fixed in the next six months. Two things we are looking at:

1. Option to exclude all manuals and CDs from packaging at time of order. And, an option to have one set delivered for multiple systems.

2. A move to packaging alternatives

We’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Best,
Sean

He took action, and got something accomplished. Hopefully I never receive a big box, filled with nothing, from Dell, next time.

Thank you Dell, and Sean, for taking action!

[UPDATE: December 03, 2008 @ 5:11pm EST]
Dell has responded to this post. I like the outcome!

I have been meaning to write about this for a while, and today was the last straw.

The company I work for orders all of their computers from dell. About 4 months ago we started receiving random Adobe Acrobat Standard CDs & licenses for free with every single computer that we purchase. We did not request these CDs. At first, they came inside of the box with the computer. Soon, they started arriving in a padded envelope. After that, they began arriving in their own box, complete with paper padding, and a padded envelope. We have received well over 100 of these.

Today, a new shipment of computers came in (just 6), and we got 6 boxes, filled with packaging materials, a padded envelope, and a single Adobe Acrobat Standard. What shocked me, and added fuel to the fire, was that the boxes have now gotten bigger. A single Adobe Acrobat CD, in a DVD sized case, nows comes in a box that measures 10x19x10, complete with padding & padded envelope!

Please see photos below (the newest, largest box can be seen at the bottom of the pile):

Boxes & Packaging

Contents of the above boxes

Dell is being more BROWN and less GREEN with this method of packaging. They should be more environmentally conscious when it comes to shipping things. I wonder how much extra it cost to ship out those boxes, with packaging, and padded envelope.