Green Electronics Council selects AHA! to support EPEAT Communications 

Portland, OR March 10, 2010 — The Green Electronics Council (GEC) has selected AHA!, a strategic communications firm, to develop new marketing tools for EPEAT®, the preeminent environmental rating system for electronics. The Vancouver, Wash.-based agency was selected based on its expertise in technology and corporate responsibility communications. 

Developed using an extensive stakeholder process and launched in 2006, the EPEAT rating system is now used in 41 countries around the world by thousands of purchasers to identify green electronic products. EPEAT users include the U.S. government, states,cities, educational and healthcare institutions, enterprise purchasers, consumer retailers and individual customers looking for more sustainable products. To advance EPEAT adoption and recognition in the marketplace, manufacturer subscribers are providing source funding for the EPEAT marketing communications program.

“Since its launch in July 2006, EPEAT has experienced incredible growth—from a few dozen registered products to almost 2,000, from three manufacturer participants to over 40 today, from a few countries to 41 now covered,” said Jeff Omelchuck, executive director of GEC and director of EPEAT. “As EPEAT enters a new phase of expansion—with TVs and printing product standards coming online and increasing interest and uptake in the consumer space—we are excited to partner with AHA! to develop additional tools to communicate EPEAT’s value and credibility in fresh and exciting ways.” 

AHA! will support development of marketing and communications strategies and materials that will guide EPEAT as it moves to increase awareness and adoption in the global marketplace.
 
“We are proud to be partnering with the Green Electronics Council to advance the manufacture and use of increasingly sustainable electronic products,” said Betsy Henning, principal of AHA! “It’s a privilege to share in this important effort to help all of us work smarter.” 

See www.epeat.net for manufacturer list, purchaser profiles, EPEAT criteria, environmental benefits and a searchable database of all registered products. 


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About EPEAT®
The EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) program evaluates desktops, laptops and displays based on 51 environmental criteria developed through an extensive stakeholder consensus process supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and established as the IEEE 1680 standard. EPEAT is managed by the Green Electronics Council, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon. 

Compared with conventional products, all EPEAT-registered computers contain reduced levels of toxins to protect health and the environment. They are more energy efficient, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. They are also easier to upgrade and recycle. Manufacturers must offer environmentally responsible recycling options for all EPEAT-registered products sold on contract. For more on EPEAT criteria and qualified products, see www.epeat.net. 

About the Green Electronics Council 
The Green Electronics Council partners with environmental organizations, government agencies, manufacturers and other interested stakeholders to improve the environmental and social performance of electronic products. In April 2006, it received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote and implement the EPEAT green computer system. Additional information on the GEC is available at www.greenelectronicscouncil.org. 

About AHA!
Founded in 1994, Alling Henning Associates, Inc. (AHA!), is a Vancouver, Wash.-based strategic communications firm. Its creative team of professional writers, editors, account managers and marketing strategists provides writing and consulting services to high-profile organizations such as Hewlett-Packard, Yahoo!, Autodesk, Charles Schwab, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Starwood Hotels, Confluence Project and others. For more information about AHA!, visit www.aha-writers.com.