A Greener Apple

[-hh]

Official response from Greenpeace

Lots of congratulations from Greenpeace for Apple: {deleted}

Sorry, but its IMO more like a big self-congratulatory piece with Greenpeace patting themselves on their own back.

Greenpeace's real complaint of Apple wasn't that they weren't doing anything, but merely that Apple wasn't telling Greenpeace what they were doing.

The policy that Apple changed today wasn't to become environmental.
Instead, the policy change was to be more open in divulging what they are currently doing and planning to do in the environmental field.

We also know that nothing accomplished will ever be good enough for some critics. For example:

But while customers in the US will be able to return their Apple products for recycling knowing that their gear won't end up in the e-waste mountains of Asia and India, Apple isn't making that promise to anyone but customers in the USA. Elsewhere in the world, an Apple product today can still be tomorrow's e-waste.

How convenient it is that the factor of non-exporting of eWaste was so easily overlooked so as to raise the expectations bar higher.

Apple hasn't gotten an actual green product to market...

Gosh, I thought there were something like 3 million iPods mentioned?

Apple must begin to address these growing problems to ensure that the workers and children of Asia and many developing nations no longer face the unnecessary environmental and health dangers posed by the high-tech industry's waste.

Hmmm...I wonder if this means that a Mac sold in India will have to be shipped to the USA at EOL in order to make Greenpeace happy?


Overall, I'm glad to see Apple taking this step in the promotion of their product brand, and that new LCD Displays appear to be in the pipeline. Naturally, their prices will probably be high, which means that some percentage of the consumers will vote with their wallet for less 'green' alternatives, but I believe that for the most part, much of the consumer base will be willing to pay a *little* extra for the environmentally superior product. Of course, how much extra that works out to being is an individual decision; YMMV.

-hh

 

[mutantteenager]

Are you for real?

Good for Steve for realizing the difference between secrets that need to be kept and things that should be shared. This was a great thing for them to do.

That being said, the un-named “environmental group” that forced this move are still a bunch of whiney media-whores who, I’m sure, will soon take credit for the changes talked about within this letter.

Best to keep in mind that the only thing they accomplished here was the creation of the press release itself. The things it talks about are obviously already in the works and have been for many years.

As much as I enjoyed reading it, I sure hope we don’t see them take credit for the actual changes outlined within the document. I’m not holding my breath on that one, however.

This has got to be sarcasm, right?

Steve Jobs doesn't give a rats arse about the environment. A computer is basically a cocktail of pollutants. When it is finally dumped, which invariably it is, those toxins leech out into the environment.

If Apple (and the rest of those mofo's) really cared, they would have made sure that a scheme of takeback and recycle was in place YEARS AGO!

All of a sudden Apple/Tony Blair/et al are all 'greener than thou'. This can only be down to environmentalists, and believe it or not, their message getting through to the consumer's thick skulls.

If we are talking 'media whore', we need look no further than Mr Jobs himself. He of 'nobody wants to watch a movie on a 2.5" screen'!

Before I get the hate mail, I like my Apple stuff, have done for a zillion years.

Where are all those iPods going when they stop working, heaven?

 

[MIDI_EVIL]

I can't believe he started a sentance with the word 'and'.

Rich.

 

[faintember]

Also, regarding your other comments on the price of that LED-backlit monitor, I have a feeling Apple's LED backlit laptops and displays are not going to jump over $1000 in price.

Did I ever say it would go up $1000? Oh, I didn't, but thanks for putting words into my mouth.

The person I was responding to was making it sound like this laptop change would clear up all types of heavy metal poisoning. Maybe that would be apparent if you read the previous comments between that poster and myself.

My price comparison shows around a 6 fold increase in price, so how will that not translate into higher prices for the customer?

 

[Fabio_gsilva]

yay and nay, LCD old SED is the future!

Man, i just heard about SED is the future, but seems like no real product ever hit the shalves... i don't know if SED is like UFOS... I want to believe, but i don't see...

 

[Mydel]

The person I was responding to was making it sound like this laptop change would clear up all types of heavy metal poisoning.

My price comparison shows around a 6 fold increase in price, so how will that not translate into higher prices for the customer?

No never said that, but its a good start. we cant forget how popular LCD became of lately. we dont know but Im pretty sure it would NOT be 6 fold of anything even close to that

 

[SkyBell]

You might be right, but Greenpeace is arrogant enough to interpret this as a victory for them, and use it to further inflate their egos. That ego will encorage them to meddle with other companies who they decide not to like.

-Clive

Which is a good thing.

 

[koobcamuk]

This has got to be sarcasm, right?

Steve Jobs doesn't give a rats arse about the environment. A computer is basically a cocktail of pollutants. When it is finally dumped, which invariably it is, those toxins leech out into the environment.

If Apple (and the rest of those mofo's) really cared, they would have made sure that a scheme of takeback and recycle was in place YEARS AGO!

All of a sudden Apple/Tony Blair/et al are all 'greener than thou'. This can only be to environmentalists, and believe it or not, their message getting through to the consumer's thick skulls.

If we are talking 'media whore', we need look no further than Mr Jobs himself. He of 'nobody wants to watch a movie on a 2.5" screen'!

Before I get the hate mail, I like my Apple stuff, have done for a zillion years. What I can't stand is fanboys, and anyone stupid enough to think we don't have a negative impact on our environment.

Where are all those iPods going when they stop working, heaven?

My iPod is on my desk... doing nothing. Paper weight. Ornament.

I am right behind you on this one. It's great news, but the Environment is *uc*ed and we need to act now. We are just too slow at reacting and planning. Poor Earth.

 

[faintember]

No never said that, but its a good start. we cant forget how popular LCD became of lately.

Maybe it wasn't your intention, but the 5 people that are here working with me in the studio agree that your opening statement was confusing and that it lead people to believe that if Apple did not make this move that heavy metal poisoning would happen.

we dont know but Im pretty sure it would NOT be 6 fold of anything even close to that

Correct, we don't know. I am just showing real world data rather than speculating. Forgive me for wanting to be grounded by the facts.

 

[brooker]

Wow, this drew a lot of comments... I can't read them all, but have this to (re) say:

* I love it. This is great news. I'm very proud of them.
* Apple stock just went up a full point, likely as a result of this announcement... it broke 100!
* I especially appreciated the humble tone recognizing that there is more to do, and the on-going committment to seeing it happen.

Bravo, Apple!

 

[Data]

Uhh

Apple sells like 9-15% of all computers sold in the world , so i wonder why they don't target the Dell's and HP's and IBM's of the world,they produce much more devices/polution , could it have something to do with the fact that Apple have a piece of fruit as their logo , plus the specialty of the brand ?

Further more if they introduce LED displays i think it will only be in laptops and not in the big displays, the technology is just not good enough at this point in time to illuminate 30"screens if i read the original post right .

 

[Mydel]

Correct, we don't know. I am just showing real world data rather than speculating. Forgive me for wanting to be grounded by the facts.

Sony VAIO TX Series are LED backlit and still around 2000$. Granted they are 11 or 12 inches but its still whithin price range of ultrapotable laptops with LCD.
Grounded???

 

[Rocketman]

Amazing quote lost in context

Quote:

"Currently, there is no industry standard way to measure the effectiveness of a company’s recycling programs. Dell has proposed a simple measure - assume a seven year product lifetime, and measure the percentage of the total weight you recycle each year compared to the total weight of what you sold seven years earlier. This makes sense to us, and has the added advantages of clarity and simplicity."

- Steve Jobs

News release:

Steve Jobs adopts a Dell policy statement.



Rocketman

 

[Krevnik]

Big bad Greenpeace again. They're such bastards for trying to make the planet a better place for future generations to live in!

You can bad mouth them all you like but they have apparently managed to make Apple change their practices now haven't they....

Maybe, but taking credit for something that someone else could have already been working towards is a great way to lose credibility with people. As it stands, unless someone proffers up evidence beyond "Apple said..." or "Greenpeace said..." that one or the other was the catalyst for these changes... I am not willing to give Greenpeace credit for it.

 

[gnasher729]

There is also the RoHS law (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) that they need to adhere to so it's not like they're doing something amazing for the planet all by themselves. So let's not all get carried away by how fantastic and cuddly Apple are for doing this 'off of their own backs'.

Did you RTFA (Read The Fine Article)? Apple is completely in compliance with RoHS with all its products worldwide, even though RoHS is only a European law. And Apple is in compliance without using any loopholes like other companies are doing.

 

[steve_hill4]

yay and nay, LCD old SED is the future!

Yeah, rock on those Smoke Emitting Diodes.

 

[rowensiv]

greener apples

greener apples are better, too.

 

[gnasher729]

Big bad Greenpeace again. They're such bastards for trying to make the planet a better place for future generations to live in!

And here I was, thinking that Greenpeace was just annoyed because Apple didn't give in to their demands for cash donations.

You can bad mouth them all you like but they have apparently managed to make Apple change their practices now haven't they....

Actually, they haven't. Apple has been acting according to the fine Christian principle of "do good and don't talk about it". Because of Greenpeace, Apple has now changed their practice to "do good, talk about it, and rubbish all the other companies that talk and don't act".

 

[rish]

Greenpeace Made up stuff with no real integrity!

Apple sells like 9-15% of all computers sold in the world , so i wonder why they don't target the Dell's and HP's and IBM's of the world,they produce much more devices/polution , could it have something to do with the fact that Apple have a piece of fruit as their logo , plus the specialty of the brand ?

Further more if they introduce LED displays i think it will only be in laptops and not in the big displays, the technology is just not good enough at this point in time to illuminate 30"screens if i read the original post right .

Apple draws media interest. It's why the NGO when after them. Pursuing anyone else would not draw the same interest or press coverage. As for this organisations data and overall view of who is actually being green, its clear there is absolutely no integrity in what they presented. Apple appears if not on par then ahead of the other computer manufacturers and the response demonstrates on Apple's part the thought placed environmentally in the overall design of their products.

As for Greenpeace what a bunch of ranting s..ts! I always felt that Friends of the Earth were a more worth while NGO to support.

Well done Apple for stating what they have done and what they propose to do. Greenpeace being self congratulatory? I think Steve has shown what a bunch of egotistical sh..ts they really are and how wrong they were on Apples green credentials.

 

[sthpark7791]

I took a look at a sony LED laptop and the screen was very very nice. Too bad I already purchased a MBP

 

[Max Payne]

good news... waiting for santa rosa with led displays.

 

[gnasher729]

Glad to see Apple is finally taking some responsibility for being so un-environmentally friendly and cleaning up their act.

For a company that prides itself on being a squeaky clean company it's a shame they were forced to do something by media attention stimulated by Greenpeace.

But good on Apple for finally announcing that they will be changing their policy.

Good on Greenpeace I hope they will campaign further on this!

You fell for the Greenpeace propaganda hook, line and sinker.

This article is not about Apple cleaning up their act, and definitely not about Apple cleaning up their act because of pressure from Greenpeace. This is about Apple complying with new, strict laws two years before they have to, and not telling the world about them, while the Greenpeace idiots praise other companies for having plans to comply with the same laws a few years in the future.

The policy that Apple will be changing is the policy of being environmentally friendly _and not talking about it_, because the Greenpeace idiots rate companies by how many empty promises they make and how many plans they announce for the future, not by what they have done.

Like other companies having plans to reduce the amount of lead over the next few years, and Apple has no such plans, because the average CRT monitor contained 1 1/2 pounds of lead, the first iMac contained only 484 grams, and a current iMac contains less than one gram! Guess who is rated as green by the Greenpeace idiots: The companies that have the big plans. If Dell reduces lead use from 400 gram to 390 gram, and Apple reduces it from 1 gram to 1/2 gram, you can bet that Greenpeace will rate Dell as better, because they achieved 20 times more reduction than Apple did.

 

[gnasher729]

Kudos to Greenpeace. About time Apple.

Explain. What exactly has Greenpeace done that has helped here in any way?

 

[Clive At Five]

Which is a good thing.

What?! No it's not.

I'm all for environmentally-friendly products, but their methods are invasive and arrogant. They don't even listen to scientific facts if it treads anywhere near proving them wrong on an issue. As one member posted earlier, they blindly oppose agricultural genetic engineering of any kind even when it is proven not to have any harmful side-effects.

A little headstrong, are we?

Greenpeace, like Al Gore, has good intentions, but poor methods.

-Clive

 

[wichtb01]

I like what Apple is doing, keep it up. I don't like the hostility in this thread. Here is what a company can do if they really want to make a difference:

http://www.chrisking.com/pucks/index.html

Read through all of it if you care.