Microsoft Drives Green IT and Eco-friendly Agriculture in Japan

| Josh Henretig

japanagFrom recycling on our Las Colinas Campus in Texas and fighting wildfires in Greece, to supporting green building in Italy and reducing our carbon footprint in Puerto Rico, we’re proud of the work Microsoft does to reduce the impact of its operations and products and drive responsible environmental leadership around the world. And we’re excited to add the achievements of another Microsoft team to this list.

In Japan we were recently recognized by the MM Research Institute for our commitment to green IT through our Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) Program. Over the past three years our MAR program has led to a significant increase of refurbished PC sales in Japan. Our MAR Program not only diverts e-waste from landfills, but it also increases access to information by providing affordable technology solutions around the country.

In Japan we are also furthering our commitment to software and technology innovations that help people improve the environment. Since 2012, our team has been collaborating with Meiji University on an eco-friendly agriculture initiative. The initiative, which is powered by Windows Azure, is an agricultural field test that uses a “drip irrigation system” to save water and fertilizer by depositing it only where it’s needed. Azure analyzes data from the system, like the temperature and water and nitric acid content of the soil, to control the drip irrigation. And the university uses a Windows 8 app to monitor the system, which makes it easy to view the status of the ground and plants in real time.

Reducing the impact our business and businesses around the world have on the environment is a shared global challenge, and we’re proud of the work our teams across geographic locations are doing to support promote environmental stewardship.

For more Microsoft sustainability news follow us on Twitter (@Microsoft_Green), and visit our Environment page to learn more about our global sustainability commitments.

Tags: , , , , ,