Acer today announced the Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition (AV15-51R), a special edition of its Acer Aspire Vero laptop and a manifestation of the company’s commitment to a more sustainable future. Each purchase of this sustainably-minded laptop helps support the U.S.-based global nonprofit National Geographic Society in its work to protect our world through exploration, research, and education.
“Acer has been taking steps over the past several years to reduce its ecological footprint. The Vero product lineup, born from our Earthion platform, represents the latest of these efforts,” said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “We’re pleased with the reception the Aspire Vero has received from users and media alike, and we hope our efforts will encourage partners and industry colleagues to take similar steps in their own capacity.”
The original Aspire Vero’s look is defined by the material blend used in its chassis, which consists of 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and was carefully selected for its balance of durability, rigidity and aesthetics. Yellow pigment dots contrast with this textured grey surface to give the laptop character, all without the need for any paint. The Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition builds on this design and tells a story in a way that catches the eye.
Users will first notice several diagonal lines running across approximately half of the top cover. A small extract from a topographicmap, these lines divide the laptop’s surface into land and sea and allude to the impact of global warming on rising sea levels. Opening the laptop reveals the iconic National Geographic yellow border, which has been printed directly onto the bottom right corner of the keyboard. In yellow print on the spacebar lies the message, “For Planet Earth.”
As its first impression, the Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition shows that the lifespan of computer packaging doesn’t need to end at delivery. The laptop’s inner packaging has been designed to be a multipurpose box, and it can be repurposed in its entirety after users get their device set up. The box itself has enough character to fit right into the user’s room—perhaps on top of a dresser or the corner of a desk—and its inner partition can be folded into a triangular laptop stand. Acer’s innovative packaging design protects the device without the need for anything but 85% recycled paper, plus a 100% industrial recycled plastic (PIR) laptop sleeve and an additional sheet of 100% PIR plastic that sits between the laptop’s display and keys.
The Acer Aspire National Geographic Edition utilizes 30% PCR plastic throughout its chassis, saving 21% in carbon emissions for the production of that part. 30% PCR plastic is also utilized in the laptop’s screen bezel and 50% in its keycaps, further reducing the computer’s footprint. Looking towards the other end of the laptop’s lifespan, special effort has been paid to simplify the process of making repairs and upgrades. The bottom cover comes off with eleven standard Phillips-head screws, revealing a well-organized set of internals that allows users to easily replace the RAM and SSD.
The Vero lineup of products was born under Earthion, an Acer platform that combines the strengths of the company, its supply chain partners, customers, and employees in order to help tackle environmental challenges with innovative solutions. Earthion’s primary topics of focus include Acer’s RE100 commitment to reach 100% renewable energy usage by 2035, the pursuit of greener product design, and efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of Acer’s supply chain.
The Acer Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition (AV15-51R) will be available in France in March; and in China in January. The laptop will also be available in multiple countries across the Asia Pacific.
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