Dell Joins Prince's Rainforests Project

The News:

Dell commemorated World Environment Day today by joining The Prince’s Rainforests Project (PRP), an environmental initiative established by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales in 2007 to raise awareness for the link between rainforests and climate change and the need to stop deforestation.

On behalf of Dell employees worldwide, Michael Dell signed this pledge: “My company supports The Prince’s Rainforests Project’s call for emergency action to help combat climate change by addressing rainforest destruction.”

Dell joined a number of sustainability-focused companies lending their support to PRP, including Google, Marriott, Virgin, Barclays and National Geographic. Mr. Dell joined company leaders and global celebrities in discussing their interest in rainforest preservation in a new video released worldwide by PRP today at www.rainforestSOS.org.

The world’s tropical rainforests help regulate our climate, store vast amounts of carbon and generate rainfall. According to PRP, the Amazon forests alone provide storage for more than half the Earth’s fresh water, releasing 20 billion metric tons of water into the atmosphere every day.

Dell recognizes the need to protect the Earth’s forests:

• Preserving forests: Dell works with Conservation International on a reforestation program in the Fandriana-Vondrozo Forest Corridor in Madagascar. Preventing deforestation of this area aims to protect its unique biodiversity and prevent more than 500,000 metric tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere over the next five years.
• Using recycled content paper: Dell uses an average of 50 percent– and in many publications, up to 90 percent—recycled content paper in its marketing materials. The company estimates this avoids the use of nearly 35,000 tons of virgin fiber paper per year.
• Using less paper: Dell has increased its use of recycled paper in its offices and is working to reduce paper use throughout its operations by having printers default to double-sided printing where possible.
• Revolutionizing packaging: Dell aims to reduce the size of its product packaging by 10 percent by 2012, and by selecting packaging materials that are curbside recyclable, the company is working to achieve 75 percent curbside recyclable over the same time period. Dell is also working with suppliers to increase the use of post-consumer recycled content in laptop and desktop packaging by 50 percent by 2012.

Dell’s Forest Products Stewardship Model is available at www.dell.com/paper.

Quotes:

Michael Dell, chairman and CEO, Dell: “As a company, we work to minimize the impact our operations and products have on the planet, and we’re very deliberate in those efforts. But campaigns like the Prince’s Rainforest Project help us reach far beyond Dell. The rainforests are critical to the health of our planet. This is a chance to come together as one global community around something that’s vital to all of us.”

Briony Mathieson, head of communications, The Prince’s Rainforests Project: “Destruction of the rainforests has very real and very serious consequences for us all - today and tomorrow. To protect ourselves and our future generations, we must take urgent action against tropical rainforest deforestation. We encourage people to sign up and help us to spread this message around the world.”

About The Prince’s Rainforests Project

The Prince’s Rainforests Project (PRP) was established in October 2007 by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to develop consensus as to how the rate of rainforest destruction might be slowed. Rainforests regulate rainfall, preserve biodiversity and, most importantly, store vast amounts of carbon. Tropical deforestation is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions and without tackling this problem it may be impossible to avoid catastrophic climate change. The PRP is working with governments, international businesses and non-profit organizations to find a solution.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) offers free computer recycling to consumers worldwide.