TORONTO, April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Softchoice (TSX: SO), a leading North American provider of technology solutions and services, is proud to announce an environmental world first. Now available at , IT purchasers can access search functionality that makes it easy to identify and acquire the world’s ‘greenest’ technologies. Today’s announcement is the culmination of a strategic alliance between EPEAT, a system to help purchasers evaluate computers and monitors based on their environmental attributes, CNET Channel, the world leader in the provision of on-demand technology product information, and Softchoice.”Making environmentally responsible purchasing decisions is a key concern for our customers,” said David MacDonald, President and CEO of Softchoice. “We are committed to doing our part and to giving organizations the information they need to make the best choices possible - for their business and for the environment. Our partnership with EPEAT and CNET Channel is a groundbreaking step in delivering on this promise.”New search filters on will make it easy to identify which products in Softchoice’s database are environmentally preferable products registered under the EPEAT greener electronics program - an anticipated 1500 SKUs. EPEAT evaluates electronic products according to three tiers of environmental performance: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each EPEAT- registered computer, laptop or monitor complies with 23 mandatory environmental performance criteria to attain Bronze (entry-level) registration. Meeting differing levels of an additional 28 optional criteria qualify products at the higher Silver and Gold levels. Key benchmarks include the elimination of environmentally sensitive materials in the manufacturing process, product longevity, end of life management, and energy conservation.Visitors to can now use the three EPEAT classification tiers, or the word ‘EPEAT’, in addition to standard search criteria such as memory and processor speed, to identify the most environmentally-friendly purchasing option when selecting a new computer or monitor.”Like many companies, we are committed to minimizing the impact of our IT investments on the environment. But the lack of information has been challenging,” said Darin Borden, Director of IT for McKinstry Co. “EPEAT has made the selection of environmentally preferable products much easier - and the work Softchoice is doing will make it even simpler for purchasers to make the right choices for their organization and for the planet.”EPEAT was created through an extensive stakeholder process supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in response to the growing number of IT purchasers seeking to buy more environmentally sustainable computer products. Launched in 2006, EPEAT is now a mandatory purchasing criterion for the U.S. Federal Government, is included in the Government of Canada’s IT tender language, and is used by numerous states, provinces, and cities across North America to assist in identifying greener electronic product options. Private purchasers, including Fortune 500 health services company McKesson, and Kaiser Permanente, the largest nonprofit heathcare provider in the U.S., are also rapidly adopting EPEAT as a contract requirement - and seeing environmental and cost benefits as a result. In the next five years the U.S. EPA estimates that the purchase of EPEAT products will result in the reduction of more than 13 million pounds of hazardous waste, more than three million pounds of non-hazardous waste, and save more than 600,000 Megawatts of energy.”EPEAT is a landmark standard but a key challenge until now has been making EPEAT registry information more widely accessible,” said Jeff Omelchuck, Executive Director of the Green Electronics Council, the nonprofit organization that manages EPEAT. “We are fortunate to have a partner like Softchoice willing to use its reach and standing in the market to ensure that the greener options identified through EPEAT are front and center with organizations everywhere.”According to some estimates, the global use of technology contributes roughly the same carbon emissions as the entire aviation industry. Without decisive action, the negative impact of IT on the environment will continue to increase dramatically in the coming years.”If the 70 million PCs expected to be sold in the U.S. in 2008 were to meet the standards of EPEAT Silver, we could save enough energy to power over a million homes,” said Melissa Quinn, Sustainability Programs Manager for Softchoice. “Clearly the effect of deploying more environmentally responsible technologies is significant.”In addition to the EPEAT listings, Softchoice has also launched a web portal to provide additional information on products and best practices that can help organizations reduce the impact of their IT operations on the environment. The Softchoice EcoTech website () includes information on improving data center efficiency, PC power management and technologies designed to offset travel and reduce paper consumption.’EPEAT Opportunity’ WebinarJoin Softchoice and EPEAT for an informative 30 minute debrief on the environmental and business benefits of EPEAT registered technologies. The webinar will provide an overview of the EPEAT selection criteria, the product registration process and how to search for and buy EPEAT products on .To register for one of the three following webinars, please visit Webinar Dates: - May 2nd - 2pm EST / 11am PST - May 9th - 2pm EST / 11am PST - May 16th - 2pm EST / 11am PST About SoftchoiceAs one of North America’s leading providers of technology solutions and services, Softchoice helps businesses and organizations of all sizes to select, acquire and manage their software and hardware technology resources. Softchoice offers a full range of capabilities, including face-to-face consultations and IT asset management services designed to help customers save time, money and risk in IT procurement. In 2006, Softchoice was named Software Value Added Reseller (VAR) of the Year by VAR Business magazine. Softchoice currently has more than 950 employees operating from more than 40 branch offices located in major cities across the U.S. and Canada.Softchoice stock is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the trading symbol “SO.” The Common Shares of Softchoice are not registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and are not publicly traded in the United States.About EPEATThe EPEAT program, supported by U.S. EPA and managed by the non-profit Green Electronics Council, evaluates computer desktops, laptops, and monitors based on 51 environmental criteria. EPEAT registered products are high-performance business class computers that are cost-comparable with equivalent non-EPEAT products. Compared to conventional computer equipment, however, all EPEAT-registered computers have reduced levels of cadmium, lead, and mercury to better protect human health and the environment. They are more energy efficient, which reduces emissions of climate changing greenhouse gases, and are also easier to upgrade and recycle. In fact, manufacturers must offer environmentally responsible recycling options for all EPEAT-registered products. For more on the EPEAT system and qualified products, see .About CNET ChannelCNET Channel (), a division of CNET Networks, is the world’s leading independent source of product information. With detailed content on over 3 million technology products in 18 languages, CNET Channel provides product information and creates solutions that empower businesses to improve their customer experience and bottom line. Customers include Computacenter, Dabs.com, Dell, HP, Insight, Kelkoo, Microsoft, OfficeMax, PCWorld, TechData and Yahoo! Softchoice Corporation
