Technology for the greater good: Bringing us closer to a more sustainable future
I’ve always been a stargazer, enthralled by the science of our boundless night skies. After saying goodnight to my children a few weeks ago, I dashed outside to photograph the 2022 Super Flower Blood Moon. In 33 years, this was the longest total lunar eclipse. It was breathtaking.
My interest in the moon is not unique to me. Our desire to go to the moon and back inspired the term “moonshot,” which is used to characterise programmes with huge, audacious aims. This zeal was eloquently articulated by John F.” We selected to journey to the Moon in this decade and undertake the other things not because they are simple, but because they are hard,” Kennedy said in 1962. And in 2008, Al Gore issued a challenge to produce every kilowatt of electricity using wind, sun, and other renewable energy sources within ten years.
Cisco announced its “moonshot” objective last year: to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. To accomplish this, we must accelerate our product and solution roadmaps across the firm to assist our clients in meeting their sustainability objectives. This is why, a few months ago, we established a new office within the engineering group.
Engineering is essential to building a sustainable future, just as it was at the heart of making the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions possible.
The mission of Cisco
Our engineering professionals are ready to handle challenges in collaboration with our Corporate Affairs, Supply Chain, and Compliance departments.
We will work together to address some of the most difficult sustainability issues, such as reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. GHG emissions are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency into three “scopes.” The first two are directly under the authority and operations of an organisation. The “impact of operations performed on assets that the reporting organisation does not own or control but with which the firm has an indirect value chain connection.” Cisco’s most important Scope 3 emissions come from the products we design and sell to customers. Cisco’s overall carbon footprint is dominated by product consumption, which accounts for 73% of total GHG emissions. For now, our primary priorities are increasing the energy efficiency of our goods and solutions and decarbonizing the grid.
Cisco, as well as our customers.
There is no silver bullet or simple solution to this situation. Dedication, ingenuity, and an all-of-the-above approach to problem-solving will be required. This includes the following:
- Creating a single, shared roadmap for incorporating circularity and materiality into product design without sacrificing the degree of innovation and usability they deliver.
- Consistent investment in research and development to overcome present challenges and take our sustainability efforts to new heights.
- Working together with our vast partner ecosystem-supply chain, development partners, manufacturers, etc.-to enhance resource efficiency in manufacturing and logistics in line with our circular economy aims.
Cisco Live is all about sustainability! US 2022
Cisco Live!, our most important event, is only a week away. This is our most important customer event. The agenda is jam-packed with workshops on sustainability, which you may search for and peruse in the online library. Here are two seminars that demonstrate our engineering achievements in the area of sustainability:
- See How Cisco Solutions Can Help Your Journey to Net Zero (INTGEN-1200)
- An interview with COP President Alok Sharma on the role technology can play in delivering on sustainability commitments.
Look for a progress update on our engineering sustainability focus in future blogs, including smart buildings, sustainable datacenters, and offers to cut GHG emissions. Please also look for sustainability-themed blogs from different Cisco organisations that build compute, cloud, collaboration, and networking solutions. Until then, keep dreaming about those moonshots. Some fantasies do come true with inventive thought and smart engineering.
