Cisco Systems Receives U.S. EPA Green Power Leadership Award

EPA awards Cisco Systems as one of nation’s top purchasers of renewable energy

ATLANTA.- Sterling Planet announced today that its client nominee, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), has received a 2008 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual awards recognize the nation’s leading green power purchasers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance development of the nation’s green power market.

Sterling Planet, Cisco’s primary supplier of Renewable Energy Certificates, nominated Cisco for the award to recognize the worldwide computer networking leader’s clear commitment to environmental responsibility and climate change management. EPA presented the award to Cisco on Monday, October 27, in conjunction with the 2008 National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference in Denver. Cisco’s large renewable energy commitment contributed to Sterling Planet also receiving a Green Power Leadership Award this year.

Cisco’s renewable energy purchase qualified the company for entry in the Leadership Club of the EPA Green Power Partnership, ranking Cisco as Number 8 on its national top 25 list of green power purchasers. The Partnership program encourages and recognizes voluntary green power purchases as a way to reduce the impact of conventional electricity use. Cisco also is a member of EPA’s Climate Leaders program, an industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop comprehensive climate change strategies.

“By making a commitment to green power, Cisco has made real, measurable progress in reducing its greenhouse gas footprint,” says Mel Jones, Sterling Planet president and chief executive officer. “We’re pleased to see EPA also recognizes Cisco’s exemplary corporate environmental stewardship.”

“Every corporation has a responsibility to help address climate change and to minimize the impact of its operations on the environment,” said Nayeem Sheikh, Cisco’s global energy manager. “Cisco is approaching this challenge not only by curbing our own company’s greenhouse gas emissions but also by taking advantage of the power of networking technology to better manage our environmental concerns.”

EPA estimates that Cisco’s renewable energy purchase avoids the annual release of 265,558 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The environmental benefit compares to taking approximately 49,000 passenger cars off the road each year or saving 30 million gallons of gasoline.