Environment
February 01 2001
by Mike TuffreyAfter the hype, the fall. The last few years have seen extravagant claims for the wonders of the new economy. Andy Grove, chairman of Intel, confidently asserted "There won't be any internet companies [within a few years]. All companies will be internet companies or they will be dead." Stock market bulls foresaw perpetual boom as e-commerce broke the traditional business cycle. Others saw salvation for the planet through resource efficiency and new low-impact lifestyles.
Now, with dot.coms running out of cash and recession looming, down to earth with a bump. The Digital Futures report confirms what has been apparent for a while, that new technology companies - whether big battalions like Microsoft and Intel or the more ephemeral start-ups - have generally failed to address their very real social and environmental impacts. It is old economy companies like Shell and Ford which have made most progress in mapping, reporting and seeking to reduce their impacts.
And yet let's not forget that the internet does hold out very real prospects for social and environmental gains, as well as economic and customer satisfaction benefits. Above we report just two examples of how telecommunication companies, Cable & Wireless and BT, are using the new technology to achieve some old-fashioned community benefits, like improved communication across national borders and cultural divides. The lesson is surely that everyone, dot.com company or not, can have a positive impact only if they work at it.