Apple CEO Tim Cook Urges Action on Climate Change at United Nations Summit

[A MacBook lover]

China just became the #1 polluter. The previous however many years we had cars and highways were pretty much all the USA being by far the #1 polluter.

Secondly, Tim Cook is from the USA. Why wouldn’t he speak to us? He is not from China. We keep risking falling further behind China because we are refusing to change to stay ahead of the competition globally.

No, they’ve been the #1polluter for decades.

Cook is compromised. Here is Tim Cook lying about Chinese NOT stealing apple IP:

Proof he lied: https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/30/18203718/apple-self-driving-trade-secrets-china-titan

 

[Kar98]

You know what, you first, buddy. Lead by example and move into an apartment.

 

[yakapo]

Anyone who is concerned about pollution should spend a few days in a major city in India and then in China. It’s like sticking your head in a diesel exhaust. Your mucus turns black and stays black until you leave. I nearly passed out in the taxi on my first visit to a third world major city. It’s impossible to understand until you experience it first hand.

 

[I7guy]

yeaaah....I'd say bs Timmy. I get it, you need to keep the show for having a tool like Al Gore on the board, but you're really not helping anyone. Show some numbers what and where needs to be cut and eliminated from our lives by country and then we can start having an informed discussion. Till then you can take your platitudes and your green feelings on your next trip to Yosemity park

I think Apple has more than discussed their efforts for being environmentally friendly including waste and carbon foot print. Maybe you’re not up on all of it?

 

[macintoshmac]

Yes, just marketing backed with action. Producing a disposable product that last 10 years is better than producing a "totally repairable" product that lasts 2 years, but it seems climate change is more aligned with carbon footprint and green house gases, etc.

I am of the opinion that being Apple, they can make an upgradeable computer that can last longer than 2 years and can make people happier. I am talking of their collective push towards purchasing their products that people do not really need. They are forcing it. They can come up with a way to have storage capacity upgradable at a user's behest later on. Now that they have integrated the RAM, can't question the performance benefits of that move so not going to go there. But, still, I don't know, could they really not have a replaceable module where the user can get a processor upgrade that includes a RAM upgrade as of today, and another replaceable module to allow for storage upgrades? I am not saying third-party even. I am saying Apple's own. That would cut on a lot of new unit purchases and carbon footprint, since we could be manufacturing new units for those who want new units, and processor upgrade/ storage upgrade modules for those who would just like to have those. I am sure it would help. I am not invested in calculating it all out, but I suppose it should. If someone has invested enough time into it, feel free to correct me on this.

Same with things like EarPods and the push for AirPods. Previously, EarPods from the iPhone could be used to listen to music on the Mac if one wanted to. For years now, iPhones came with EarPods with a lightning connector since they removed the 3.5 mm jack. How do I connect these EarPods to my Mac to listen to music? Now if I want to listen to music discretely on the Mac, I need wireless headphones or a connector. Very environment-friendly move, that one.

I am not denying that any iPhone lasts longer than any Android device. I am not calling an iPhone disposable. I am calling the laptops, the AirPods, and such as disposables today.

 

[macintoshmac]

Anyone who is concerned about pollution should spend a few days in a major city in India and then in China. It’s like sticking your head in a diesel exhaust. Your mucus turns black and stays black until you leave. I nearly passed out in the taxi on my first visit to a third world major city. It’s impossible to understand until you experience it first hand.

You are right about that experience. But that is air pollution. I think we might be talking of e-waste here rather than air pollution.

 

[laptech]

The UK government is right in that the tech companies have a lot of explaining to do with regards to e-waste and the amount they e-waste they produce due to their very restrictive repair practices due to how they have manufactured the motherboard. Those of us who are involved in independent repair have seen the change taken place over the past 5-10 years where tech companies, especially laptop manufacturers have been striving for smaller and light laptops which has resulted in everything being soldered to the board, the CPU, computer memory, the hard drive and anyone who has repaired laptops over a long period of time knows those 3 things are the most common to electronic parts to go wrong.

Now when a laptop comes in for repair, due to repair shops not having access to brand new replacement parts, if any of those 3 items are found to be faulty, the motherboard is scrapped, another one added to the e-waste pile. Not even the manufacturer will fix it, they will just e-waste it and issue a replacement working board.

None of the tech companies are the good guys when it comes to climate control because they are more than happy to have their faulty products go to e-waste rather than be repaired. Apple being the worst here due to the fact they refuse to unlock icloud locked iphones and macbooks, meaning any icloud iphone or macbook becomes a pile of junk all the whilst having nothing wrong with the electronics. The board from the iphone and macbook instantly becomes e-waste due to icloud lock and Apple refuses to do anything about it.

 

[A MacBook lover]

You are right about that experience. But that is air pollution. I think we might be talking of e-waste here rather than air pollution.

By every metric, China is the #1 polluter.

#1 Polluter of CO2,NO2, Aerosol
Water Pollution, soil pollution, river pollution.

The e-waste argument is flawed. Essentially, they want to shift responsibility from Chinese supply chains being the biggest cause for pollution, to it being the (American) company’s fault for making bad design decisions.

So while litigation clamps down on products “not being repairable” hurting companies and innovation...China pollutes at the same rate with its supply chains. I don’t think people are going to buy less products because they can be repaired. They already can be repaired. And the free market has said they don’t care, and like apples model.

 

[R2FX]

I think Apple has more than discussed their efforts for being environmentally friendly including waste and carbon foot print. Maybe you’re not up on all of it?

I’m not talking about their bottom line or number bragging. This is a eco-fascists agenda where everyone throws a boogie man in the air - end of the world in xxx years etc but refuses to say which nations are contributing to this problem, what’s their actions and what will have to change in people’s lives.
IMO is when it comes to environment far bigger problem is uneducated activism, deforestation, plastic pollution and rabbit like breeding in certain countries&cultures. How’s Tim Apple going to solve that? Omitting chargers from iPhone packaging?

 

[deevey]

I am of the opinion that being Apple, they can make an upgradeable computer that can last longer than 2 years and can make people happier.

Two years Huh ? My last three Apple computers have lasted at least 7 years of OS upgrades and almost 10 years of security updates. Afterwards they can still be used for something or be recycled almost 100%.

I am talking of their collective push towards purchasing their products that people do not really need. They are forcing it. They can come up with a way to have storage capacity upgradable at a user's behest later on. Now that they have integrated the RAM, can't question the performance benefits of that move so not going to go there. But, still, I don't know, could they really not have a replaceable module where the user can get a processor upgrade that includes a RAM upgrade as of today, and another replaceable module to allow for storage upgrades? I am not saying third-party even. I am saying Apple's own. That would cut on a lot of new unit purchases and carbon footprint, since we could be manufacturing new units for those who want new units, and processor upgrade/ storage upgrade modules for those who would just like to have those. I am sure it would help. I am not invested in calculating it all out, but I suppose it should. If someone has invested enough time into it, feel free to correct me on this.

All I'm really reading is that you want to save money rather that pay for an up-to-date computer every x number of years.

By adding removable ram modules and components you would increase the carbon footprint of a logic board substantially and increase the EOL waste. Sure it'd be nice to service stuff thats out of warranty, but thats a completely different argument than decreasing the carbon footprint.

Serviceability and being Green do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Same with things like EarPods and the push for AirPods. Previously, EarPods from the iPhone could be used to listen to music on the Mac if one wanted to. For years now, iPhones came with EarPods with a lightning connector since they removed the 3.5 mm jack. How do I connect these EarPods to my Mac to listen to music? Now if I want to listen to music discretely on the Mac, I need wireless headphones or a connector. Very environment-friendly move, that one.

I am not denying that any iPhone lasts longer than any Android device. I am not calling an iPhone disposable. I am calling the laptops, the AirPods, and such as disposables today.

You don't have the issue with EarPods in the box not being compatible anymore unless you live in France. They already resolved that by simply not providing them anymore.

Now would I like the option of being able to repair my own computer - sure, but its been almost 8 years since Apple devices were in any real way user serviceable (2012 were the last real MacBooks and Mac Mini's that could be stripped and "worked on").

I for one have accepted that:
The config I choose MUST have enough storage and memory to last 5 years+
That I will need to use external storage devices
AppleCare is probably a good idea nowadays
Backup my device regularly

 

[I7guy]

I’m not talking about their bottom line or number bragging. This is a eco-fascists agenda where everyone throws a boogie man in the air - end of the world in xxx years etc but refuses to say which nations are contributing to this problem, what’s their actions and what will have to change in people’s lives.
IMO is when it comes to environment far bigger problem is uneducated activism, deforestation, plastic pollution and rabbit like breeding in certain countries&cultures. How’s Tim Apple going to solve that? Omitting chargers from iPhone packaging?

It still doesn't seem like Apple agrees with your assessment. This isn't a binary. Environmentally friendly, green and carbon footprint are difficult challenges for all companies and seemingly are started with baby steps rather than a big bang.

Omitting chargers seems like a very good step to counter e-waste, whether you agree or not.

 

[I7guy]

[...]

None of the tech companies are the good guys when it comes to climate control because they are more than happy to have their faulty products go to e-waste rather than be repaired. Apple being the worst here due to the fact they refuse to unlock icloud locked iphones and macbooks, meaning any icloud iphone or macbook becomes a pile of junk all the whilst having nothing wrong with the electronics. The board from the iphone and macbook instantly becomes e-waste due to icloud lock and Apple refuses to do anything about it.

Apple will unlock phones, under extenuating circumstances. Unlocking phones willy-nilly will incur a societal cost rather than an e-waste cost. Apple is right, imo, not to unlock unverified icloud accounts.

 

[PickUrPoison]

You know what, you first, buddy. Lead by example and move into an apartment.

He lives in a rather small house, is that good enough?

 

[I7guy]

I am of the opinion that being Apple, they can make an upgradeable computer that can last longer than 2 years and can make people happier. I am talking of their collective push towards purchasing their products that people do not really need. They are forcing it. They can come up with a way to have storage capacity upgradable at a user's behest later on. Now that they have integrated the RAM, can't question the performance benefits of that move so not going to go there. But, still, I don't know, could they really not have a replaceable module where the user can get a processor upgrade that includes a RAM upgrade as of today, and another replaceable module to allow for storage upgrades? I am not saying third-party even. I am saying Apple's own. That would cut on a lot of new unit purchases and carbon footprint, since we could be manufacturing new units for those who want new units, and processor upgrade/ storage upgrade modules for those who would just like to have those. I am sure it would help. I am not invested in calculating it all out, but I suppose it should. If someone has invested enough time into it, feel free to correct me on this.

Same with things like EarPods and the push for AirPods. Previously, EarPods from the iPhone could be used to listen to music on the Mac if one wanted to. For years now, iPhones came with EarPods with a lightning connector since they removed the 3.5 mm jack. How do I connect these EarPods to my Mac to listen to music? Now if I want to listen to music discretely on the Mac, I need wireless headphones or a connector. Very environment-friendly move, that one.

I am not denying that any iPhone lasts longer than any Android device. I am not calling an iPhone disposable. I am calling the laptops, the AirPods, and such as disposables today.

I can't really comment on the Mac as I use the ones' in the family and then only occasionally at this point.

As far as Earpods, if you were motivated to use your Mac with the earphones, it seems some adapter would be out in the world for that. As far as Airpods and repairability...these should be returned to Apple for recycling, however repairability can have it's downsides. I remember a post on MR, where a poster returned their Galaxy Buds for a battery replacement and the Buds came back damaged, according to OP. If the poster went back for an exchange of a new bud, kind of nullifies the entire repairability thing. There is no good solution here.

Being environmentally friendly, green and carbon neutral is not binary and certainly change toward that direction is not instantaneous.

 

[PickUrPoison]

<snip
IMO is when it comes to environment far bigger problem is uneducated activism, deforestation, plastic pollution and rabbit like breeding in certain countries&cultures. How’s Tim Apple going to solve that? Omitting chargers from iPhone packaging?

Nobody expects Tim Apple to solve the world’s problems, do they? That makes zero sense lol.

But just as Apple gets credit for their many good works, they deserve demerits for those areas where they still need to improve. Are they 100% perfect? No, maybe something like 95%. (Unless you’re grading on a curve, then they’re 99-100%.)

So just an A, not an A+.

 

[gugy]

While I agreed with all comments outlining Apple and Tim's hypocrisy, if we are honest with ourselves, we all contribute to this. The masses trying to buy the latest and greatest.
While I try to be good at keeping my devices for a long time, iPhone 7+ and MBP 2015, I am also part of the consumerism problem.

 

[wigby]

What a fraud, they trash the planet via China and act green in the US. Maybe he can stop unneeded iPhone production every year.

Unneeded? Tell that to the law of supply and demand. And then tell every disposable Android phone maker while you’re at it. Burner phones and low cost Android smartphones are designed to be used and discarded soon after. They constitute 100x more waste globally than Apple.

 

[bigchief]

 

[Tech198]

I know Tim has done wind power and conserving energy to their OWN... This is power to you,, but now using that same energy we must infuse others to do the same .... Why ?

I mean it helps everyone, but if Tim thinks he's good at what he does and wants action taken elsewhere (looks like t), then he should do it.. (Luckily laws stand in his way)

Then again, people get much needed exercise by doing that..

People often don't like things moving slower than they do.

 

[macintoshmac]

I can't really comment on the Mac as I use the ones' in the family and then only occasionally at this point.

As far as Earpods, if you were motivated to use your Mac with the earphones, it seems some adapter would be out in the world for that. As far as Airpods and repairability...these should be returned to Apple for recycling, however repairability can have it's downsides. I remember a post on MR, where a poster returned their Galaxy Buds for a battery replacement and the Buds came back damaged, according to OP. If the poster went back for an exchange of a new bud, kind of nullifies the entire repairability thing. There is no good solution here.

Being environmentally friendly, green and carbon neutral is not binary and certainly change toward that direction is not instantaneous.

Yes, there is that aspect of repairability. I have suffered that at the hands of Apple here for battery replacement of my iPhone. Display stopped functioning after battery replacement and service centre called it dead, offering me a replacement at cost. I found that it was not dead, just the display was dead. It took me 15 days of frantic emailing to everyone I could find to get Apple to give me a new device at the cost of the battery replacement plus the job service fee, since at the time I submitted the device, it was in full working condition and I submitted the device only for a battery replacement. There is no way they can pin anything else on me, particularly when they test for issues before they start the repair process.

So yeah, you are right on that account. Repairability can have other issues.

But, call me a little old-school, but I still would love to be able to add more memory and storage to my computer when and if I want to - nothing else. I know I bought my 2011 MBP with 4 GB RAM because that is what I could afford at the time. Next year, I upgraded my RAM to 16 GB and got a Plextor SSD as well. That computer lasted me till 2019 when I sold it off, because it started developing the famous graphic glitches, and lost support for Mojave. I would not have sold it still, but for the graphic chipset glitches that told me that I could soon be looking at a paperweight. I would never have been able to use that computer for this long (8 years) if I could not upgrade the 4 GB RAM to 16 GB and replace the HDD with an SSD.

I know a laptop is not supposed to be like a desktop computer where I can replace everything whenever I want. It is just a lingering feeling I have, that at least RAM and storage could be user-upgradeable for longevity. Not everyone might have few hundred Dollars more to get the extra RAM and storage right away.

 

[macintoshmac]

Two years Huh ? My last three Apple computers have lasted at least 7 years of OS upgrades and almost 10 years of security updates. Afterwards they can still be used for something or be recycled almost 100%.

All I'm really reading is that you want to save money rather that pay for an up-to-date computer every x number of years.

By adding removable ram modules and components you would increase the carbon footprint of a logic board substantially and increase the EOL waste. Sure it'd be nice to service stuff thats out of warranty, but thats a completely different argument than decreasing the carbon footprint.

Serviceability and being Green do not necessarily go hand in hand.


You don't have the issue with EarPods in the box not being compatible anymore unless you live in France. They already resolved that by simply not providing them anymore.

Now would I like the option of being able to repair my own computer - sure, but its been almost 8 years since Apple devices were in any real way user serviceable (2012 were the last real MacBooks and Mac Mini's that could be stripped and "worked on").

I for one have accepted that:
The config I choose MUST have enough storage and memory to last 5 years+
That I will need to use external storage devices
AppleCare is probably a good idea nowadays
Backup my device regularly

The two years remark for in context of another member's response I was replying to.

Yes, that is precisely my point. It is possible I do not have 200-400 Dollars extra right now to purchase the configuration that lasts me 5-8 years, but I could need a computer right away. So I am going to have to settle on the lower configuration or do something and get the configuration I would need in a little while.

 

[NT1440]

The two years remark for in context of another member's response I was replying to.

Yes, that is precisely my point. It is possible I do not have 200-400 Dollars extra right now to purchase the configuration that lasts me 5-8 years, but I could need a computer right away. So I am going to have to settle on the lower configuration or do something and get the configuration I would need in a little while.

I mean honestly, if you have the funds for the low end config and can’t do the extra $2/300...that’s the perfect scenario to finance it and just immediately pay what you intended originally. From there it’s a few overpriced coffees a month to pay off the remainder.

Im not a big credit guy, but that just seems like the “right” scenario for it there

 

[incoherent_1]

Meanwhile MagSafe for iPhone uses 47% more energy to charge a phone and that is the solution they're pushing people to buy – meanwhile they remove the more energy-efficient wall chargers from the boxes claiming it's to "be greener." Right. Cool.

 

[Peperino]

Another Tim Cook publicity stunt. If you care sooo much about climate change, stop making disposable products.
Start making upgradable computers again. Stop making laptops that if a single thing fails cannot be repaired cause you need to replace the entire logic board.

 

[macintoshmac]

I mean honestly, if you have the funds for the low end config and can’t do the extra $2/300...that’s the perfect scenario to finance it and just immediately pay what you intended originally. From there it’s a few overpriced coffees a month to pay off the remainder.

Im not a big credit guy, but that just seems like the “right” scenario for it there

Yes, true that. But, again, that is something that seems like a workaround.. I can buy the 16 GB RAM/ 512 GB SSD computer right now, but I do not need it right now. I would have to block my money in a higher configuration today because I cannot upgrade it later. Or, I will but the lower config today and ride it out till I can. That is my point. The lack of option. People will buy what they need today and there will be people that will play the future-proofing game. There needs to be an option available to both.