Road to Zero is the Sony environmental plan, aimed at negating our environmental impact throughout product life cycles, from development to procurement, manufacturing, distribution, and recycling. We begin this series with a message from the head of Sony's Environmental Center to introduce initiatives from the four perspectives of curbing climate change, conserving resources, controlling chemical substances, and promoting biodiversity.

Q: How did Sony decide on the goal of zero environmental impact?Instead of setting initial targets based on past performance, we began by defining our ultimate goal. Without aspiring to completely reduce our environmental impact, our efforts would be rather minimal. We considered what we should do, not what we are probably capable of doing, Our plan uses backcasting methods to set specific mid-term environmental targets in line with our ultimate long term goal.

Q: How does Sony develop specific Road to Zero initiatives?Sony builds on existing environmental efforts, and along with quality, environmental performance has become central to business strategy. We seek a comprehensive reduction in our environmental impact, including that of our procurement and distribution partners, and we take care to address a variety of issues—for example creating innovative products with better environmental performance in use, or helping to promote biodiversity through business operations.

Q: Isn't "zero" a formidable goal?Certainly, if we rely on traditional approaches. But tackling challenges in unconventional ways is part of Sony's DNA, so to speak. Precisely because this is not an easy goal, it motivates us to keep seeking ways to continuously find solutions. Any concerns about the difficulty of this goal will be dispelled by applying unmatched Sony ingenuity and technology in our environmental initiatives as well.

Groundwater recharge (through paddies) equivalent to factory water usage Groundwater recharge in southern Japan

At the Sony Kumamoto Technology Center semiconductor factory, the groundwater used in manufacturing processes is offset by irrigation for groundwater recharge, ensuring that the water ecosystem remains in balance. In a program that enjoys local support, river water is used to irrigate fallow paddies, where it soaks into the water table. Some 11 million tons of water was returned between fiscal 2003 and 2009, surpassing the amount used by the factory. This large-scale return of water to the land not only maintains the ecosystem but also protects groundwater used by local residents.

Minimizing risks of environmental pollutants through a sophisticated chemical substances management system Managing chemical substances at Sony factories

Some of the chemical substances that are indispensable in production may pose risks to the environment if leaks or other incidents occur. Although there is always some level of risk, strict measures in an "airtight" management system can be upheld to minimize it. To reduce adverse effects on the environment, a multi-layered framework is in place which is more rigorous than public regulations, governing all aspects of chemical substances in manufacturing, from use to disposal.

Smart televisions with a presence sensor that automatically saves energy BRAVIA energy saving

Greater efficiency is possible with intelligent product features. One example is the BRAVIA LX900 series, featuring a camera-equipped sensor with face detection functionality that can determine if people are watching TV. To save energy, the set will turn itself off if no one is watching. BRAVIA televisions also incorporate highly efficient LED backlighting. Each generation of TVs offers better energy performance, and in two years, we have nearly halved product energy consumption.* *Comparing 2010 models (40" EX710 series) to 2008 models (40" V1 series)

Creating recycled plastic as good as new from CD scrap Unique plastic recycling

Sony has promoted plastic recycling for more than a decade. Scrap from factories producing CDs and other optical discs is collected, crushed, and recycled into a material equivalent in quality to new plastic. Unmatched Sony technology turns this resource into materials for use in digital camera bodies and structural parts that demand high-precision fabrication. Sony is an industry-leading recycler, using more than 10,000 tons of recycled material group-wide each year. We have also developed environmentally conscious flame retardants for the recycled plastic, free of bromine and phosphorus.

Pilot programs to recover metals from digital cameras and mobile phones Recovering rare metals in small electronics

Gold, silver, copper, and palladium are readily found in small electronic devices such as digital cameras, mobile phones, and audio players. To recover some of the "buried treasure" of these rare metals around us Sony is the first in the electronics industry to launch rare metal recovery programs together with local government support. Collection boxes for used electronics have been in place in the city of Kitakyushu since 2008 and in Fukuoka since 2010. Efforts toward commercial applications include using the metal extracted from these products in semiconductor chips for some mobile phones.