Jose Rafael Canate Perez

Jose Rafael Canate Perez
Latin American and The Caribbean Parts and Ink Sales, Dell Panama
Two Years of Service

Dell’s Jose Canate Inspires Green Efforts for a Better Tomorrow

Green: It’s on everyone’s mind these days. What can I do to be more environmentally friendly? Some may say, "Being green isn’t easy … or is it?" Dell’s Jose Rafael Canate Perez has taken an active role in reducing his carbon footprint, as well as encouraging others to do the same.

With the understanding that the world doesn’t belong to only us and that our resources aren't endless, Jose has continuously instilled the message among his peers that protecting the environment is up to us as the only species on earth with the power to make a difference and change our behavior to avoid worldwide crisis.

Jose is leading the efforts of Dell’s Green Team in Panama to reduce the amount of waste produced on site and to share the important message about how protecting our environment will drastically impact the future of our planet.

With solid support from Dell, Jose serves as a green champion who deserves great recognition. His passion and enthusiasm for such initiatives is contagious. In the two years he’s been with Dell, he’s led by example in creating a model for living and working in environmentally friendly ways. Here are just a few programs he’s touched. He:

• Led the beach clean up efforts, wrangling 300 high school volunteers and clearing more than 2,000 pounds of waste.
• Collaborated with the team to commemorate Dell Panama’s fifth anniversary by planting 2,000 trees (one tree per day worked) in Camino de Cruces Park to support the local reforestation program.
• Organized a second beach clean up celebrating Water Day. Forty-five employees volunteered and removed more than 700 pounds of waste along the shoreline.
• Teamed with Dell Panama to participate in the Make a Difference campaign celebrating Earth Day by reforesting Parque Natural Metropolitano. Recycled paper was used to create flyers resembling leaves. Each leaf sold represented a tree that would be planted. Dell Panama sold more than 350 leaves.

Jose also continues to manage the Dell Recycling Program. Dell Panama encourages employees to recycle aluminum cans and batteries; all funds raised are used to support non-governmental organizations like Movimiento Nueva Generation and Fundacion de Accion Social (FAS). Moviemento Nueva Generation supports positive programs for local at-risk children, while FAS helps find employment for those on the streets.

Jose's work has inspired others to take the future of our environment more seriously by getting involved and making an impact. Started by one; joined by many. It’s efforts like Jose’s that, when multiplied, make a real difference.

Kudos, Jose!