beyond toxicity

I’m sure that most, if not all Pinoy families and offices own at least one or more SHARP appliances. From the old and reliable calculators, radios, TVs, washing machines, fridge, electric fans to air conditioning units,  this Japanese brand has been making our domestic and industrial lives a lot more comfortable for more than 28 years and counting.

Being the head of the family and a consumer, I’m excited what this trusted brand in electronic appliances has yet to offer.  As we all know, Japanese are famous for their great innovations and creativity in almost everything.  So when I received an invitation for a Press & Bloggers’ gathering for Sharp Philippines’ newest offerings, I didn’t pass on the opportunity.

Beyond Toxicity was invited to attend Sharp Philippines’ Beyond Expectations Press Lunch last Thursday, June 03, 2010 held at Rizal Ballroom 1 of Makati Shangri la.

The event started lightly with cocktails served with pastries that tasted like cheesy smoked salmon. Yum!    Then Paolo Abrera, a local TV host and sports enthusiast emceed the program.

Let me share to you first what Sharp Philippines and Makati Shangri La had prepared for lunch…

There’s a choice of beverages from fruit juices to iced tea served on tables. Soup was simple but tasteful (not on the photo); there was also green salad but I opted for some sushi and freshest salmon sashimi. Got a tiny piece of lamb chops, some broccoli with almond flakes, a small serving of chicken and fresh mango dish, prawns and roast beef.   And voila!  My Thursday pig-out plate…

I also sampled some of those delectable desserts… The apple crumble was to-die-for, LOL!

Now more importantly, the main focus of the meet was to introduce to the public Sharp’s  plans to improve more our daily living.  After Sharp’s Japanese top management people explained thoroughly the company’s goals and global contributions complete with AVPs and interactive demonstrations, I was really in awe.

I give my ‘thumbs up!’ to Sharp for putting emphasis on “green technologies”. Imagine owning  Sharp’s No-frost refrigerators with PLASMACLUSTER ION technology that can keep fresh meats, fruits, vegetables and other fridge’s contents fresher and longer as it inactivates and removes harmful airborne elements like allergens, viruses and molds. This amazing air sanitizing technology has also been incorporated into Sharp’s  air purifiers,  ion generators, air conditioners and even LED (light emitting diode) lamps.

The Plasmacluster Ion technology works by releasing positive and negative ions that attach themselves to the bacterial surfaces to break them down. Various test facilities in Japan and around the world have validated and confirmed the effectiveness of this technology in removing such hazards as SARS, corona virus, H1N1 human influenza virus and H5N1 avian influenza virus.

As a General Physician and a father to our almost 6-year-old son, my concern about microbial and possible disease prevention was truly addressed with this PCI technology.  If I could only bring to our home all these great innovations from Sharp in a snap, life could be  so much healthier.   I so wish more establishments and offices will utilized this technology to support Sharp’s efforts in putting up a greener living.

About the LED (light emitting diode) lighting technology :

According to SPC President and General Manager, Mr. Juntaro Shimamoto, “The average cost of 1 kilowatt hour in Southeast Asia is 12 cents, while in the Philippines it costs 18 cents.  This is 30% higher.  One LED lamp consumes 7.5 watts to operate, while an incandescent bulb can require an average of 60 watts. If you consider that Sharp LED lamps can give you 80% energy savings compared to incandescent lamps, imagine how much you will save on electricity costs every month.”

Because most of us have monthly electric bills that continue to soar high despite our measures to save power,  can you blame me if I dream of changing our incandescent bulbs to LED lights?  *long sigh*

Sharp also further developed their audio-video products in the form of their QUATTRON LCD TVs. The name is such because Sharp added a fourth color to the basic primary of  red, green and blue in TV technology, and that’s yellow; just to enhance the viewing of yellow and gold more vivid and lively.

There was a raffle for the members of the press and bloggers just before the event came to a close, and a Sharp LCD TV was the top prize among the 9 other freebies that were given away via randomizer.  I admit, I desired to take home a unit myself for free, who wouldn’t?  It would be a great pasalubong for Tina and Gabby that day, however, neither the LCD and flat TVs nor those air purifying units came home with me, LOL!  Lady luck, where are you when I needed you most?

Another Sharp technology that was highlighted in the event was their Solar panels.

SPC president and general manager Juntaro Shimamoto said, “Unknown to many, Sharp is a world leading solar company. In fact, we began developing solar panels in 1959, well before issues on global warming and dwindling fossil fuel supplies came out.”

Sharp’s advanced solar panels are used in navigational systems, satellites, skyscrapers, villages, and various commercial applications worldwide.

Mr. Shimamoto shared, “One local facility that uses Sharp solar panels is the country’s first solar farm, operated by SEPALCO in Cagayan de Oro, which produces 1 megawatt of power.  SEPALCO chose Sharp panels for their reliability and durability.  We have also installed and tested solar panels on our very own solar jeepney. By 2012 we hope to have solar panel sales account for 7% of our total sales.”

I also wish that government and local offices, even concerned NGOs would utilize this solar panel technology as an alternative source of energy particularly for those remote areas of the country.

Other than taking pride in having greener technology, Sharp’s greatest strength as an established company here and abroad is their Customer Care Program.  With just a text, an e-mail, or phone call, a complain is said to be addressed accordingly.  Efficient and friendly service made them earn the first and only awardee of DTI’s Gold Seal of Excellence in the consumer appliances industry.

With commitment to personal and environmental health, energy conservation and advancement in electronic technology, Sharp continues to amaze its global clients BEYOND EXPECTATIONS!

Bravo to Sharp!

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*Special thanks to Sharp Philippines and Ms. Lanie Juan for the invites.