With Earth Day approaching, it's worth highlighting efforts underway throughout the cable industry to minimize carbon emissions and to foster a more sustainable and energy efficient work environment. Whether it's through industry-wide initiatives or individual company programs, here are just a few ways that cable providers are seeking greener business practices.
Achieving Carbon Neutrality
Cable providers are on the path to becoming carbon neutral through their carbon reduction plans and projects.
- Charter, Comcast, and Cox have committed to carbon neutrality on or before 2035.
- Comcast has reduced the electricity it takes to deliver each byte of data across its network by 36% since 2019, thanks to ongoing investments in innovation, software, AI, and other virtual and physical critical infrastructure.
Environmental-Friendly Practices
Company initiatives are paving the way for a greener future.
Cleaner Transportation:
- Cox's smart fleet strategies have saved 16,000 gallons of gasoline and reduced 186 tons of carbon.
- Comcast's Xfinity fleet vehicles utilize fuel-efficiency software and are improving mileage and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Midco targets efforts to avoid using more of its trucks on the road and is testing energy efficient power solutions for team members in the field.
Eliminating Waste:
- Recycling solutions throughout the cable industry include the breaking down of wires into raw materials for resale and adapting recycled plastic from coaxial waste to reuse for construction or furniture businesses.
- Cox set and achieved its zero-waste-to-landfill goal in 2022, two years ahead of its original target date.
Green Operations:
The industry's commitment to sustainability can also be seen throughout workplace operations practices which lessen the overall environmental impact.
- Use of smart technology and equipment, such as LED and motion sensor lights.
- Running high-efficiency, low-impact data centers.
- Operating fuel-efficient generators.
- Providing eco-friendly break room products for employees.
Reducing Energy Impact of Home Equipment
Consumers are seeing reductions in both greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs thanks to two separate voluntary agreements between cable providers and consumer electronics manufacturers that focus on the energy efficiency of set-top boxes and home internet equipment like routers and modems.
- 64 million metric tons of CO2 emissions have been eliminated since the voluntary agreements began nine years ago.
- $12 billion in energy costs have been saved since 2012 due to the set-top box energy efficiency standards.
- 98% of home internet equipment met the targeted energy efficiency levels in 2021.
As the world grapples with climate change and global warming, cable providers will continue to protect and conserve the environment through their leadership and innovative solutions.