U.S. Chamber of Commerce Reacts to Apple's Withdrawal Over Climate Change Policies

[MacRumors]

Dow Jones Newswires reports that U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Tom Donohue responded to Apple CEO Steve Jobs today after the company announced its withdrawal from the organization over the Chamber of Commerce's stance on pending climate change legislation.

"It is unfortunate that your company didn't take the time to understand the Chamber's position on climate and forfeited the opportunity to advance a 21st century approach to climate change," U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Tom Donohue wrote in a letter to the Apple chief executive. He said that the business group is committed to the environment but also to preserving the competitiveness of American business.

Donohue went on to note that the organization does support climate change legislation, but opposes currently proposed legislation that the organization claims would hurt American businesses and simply transfer greenhouse gas emissions to other countries rather than directly addressing the issue.

Apple's withdrawal places it in the company of such entities as Nike and Pacific Gas & Electric that have either resigned from or scaled back their relationships with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over its climate change policies.

Article Link: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Reacts to Apple's Withdrawal Over Climate Change Policies

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Quit whining. Sure you can support climate change and oppose a bill, but everyone knows that a step in the right direction for the environment is better then no step at all. With that being said, everyone knows that the Waxman bill is no in the best interest of cheap U.S. business.

 

[DLary]

No, the Waxman bill is in the best interest of cheap Chinese business. Where was your Mac made?

 

[bmb012]

Quit whining. Sure you can support climate change and oppose a bill, but everyone knows that a step in the right direction for the environment is better then no step at all. With that being said, everyone knows that the Waxman bill is no in the best interest of cheap U.S. business.

Unless that step hurts American business and gives companies even more incentive to ship jobs overseas...

Sorry, don't want to feel like I'm misquoting you. There just needs to be a balance between steps to that right direction and American business... So no, a wee step in the right direction isn't always best.

 

[retroneo]

No, the Waxman bill is in the best interest of cheap Chinese business. Where was your Mac made?

Only 38% of Apple's emissions are from manufacturing. Quit lying.

 

[Capt Dunsell]

If Apple really cared about the environment, they'd pull out of China, and not the US Chamber of Commerce.

 

[stepnw1f]

Too Bad!

The Chamber of Commerce is nothing but a politically corrupt entity that only looks out for big business interests and could care less about the environment so much so, that they lie about Global Warming itself. I'm glad Apple did what it did, and hope others do the same thing.

Their pathetic reaction doesn't surprise me at all...

Here's a great summary of what the US Chamber of Commerce is, or was supposed to be:

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a powerful business lobbying group in the United States, "used to be a trade association that advocated in a bipartisan manner for narrowly tailored policies to benefit its members. Since 1997 or so, it has become a fully functional part of the partisan Republican machine," with CEO and president Thomas J. Donohue "raising its budget to $150M a year from corporate chiefs satisfied with his ability to move policy through a Republican Congress," Matt Stoller wrote December 13, 2006, at MyDD.

The Chamber claims on its website that its mission is to "advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility." It describes itself as "the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region."

However, the Chamber is "dominated by oil companies, pharmaceutical giants, automakers and other polluting industries," according to James Carter, executive director of the Green Chamber of Commerce.

 

[IntheNet]

If Apple really cared about the environment, they'd pull out of China, and not the US Chamber of Commerce.

I agree... Apple is penalizing American business and patronizing Chinese polluters by their petty spat with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce... Green Hell Blog has more pertinent detail on this topic including comparing photo illustrations of air quality of Apple HQ in Cuppertino, CA compared to the pollution in Shenzhen, China where Apple products are manufactured.

Does Apple wish to really compare our air quality with China's air quality? By its action Apple is rewarding China and penalizing United States...

 

[Xibalba]

I gladly welcome any company taking a stance against any committee that actually believes in the myth of global warming and/or that human behavior could actually play any role in the potential progression of any such possible warming phenomenon if it indeed existed.

However, of course, it still is wise to be ecologically conscious - esp when it comes to product design involving hazardous chemicals or recyclable resources. And Apple has done quite well - especially recently on both.

 

[MacDSmith2]

I don't think you want Apple to pull out of China as some have suggested, unless you want to pay triple what you pay now for a Macintosh computer, which is already twice what comparible PC systems cost. Like it or not, the US and China are economically locked together and neither can risk breaking away from the other.

 

[patsfan83]

Not knowing much about the Chamber, I looked them up. I don't understand how a group that represents businesses "fighting for your business", is against minimum wage hikes. For a conservative learning advocacy group, I was surprised to learn that their stance is neutral on abortion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Chamber_of_Commerce

 

[gilkisson]

I gladly welcome any company taking a stance against any committee that actually believes in the myth of global warming and/or that human behavior could actually play any role in the potential progression of any such possible warming phenomenon if it indeed existed.

Right.

Same glacier, 50 years later, same view. Obviously, this is the work of evil ice bandits, eh? Stole all the ice, left a pool of water behind?

 

[iphoneZ]

Same glacier, 50 years later, same view. Obviously, this is the work of evil ice bandits, eh? Stole all the ice, left a pool of water behind?

durrrr i has pictures therefore science and stuff

 

[Xibalba]

Right.

Same glacier, 50 years later, same view. Obviously, this is the work of evil ice bandits, eh? Stole all the ice, left a pool of water behind?

Right.

a melted glacier really proves something. natural global cycles have occurred for thousands of years. you must step back to see the forest for the trees.

a scientific fact has to be independent of the observer.

bottom line is there is NO body of evidence proving climate change as a result of human behavior that has been independently verified.

 

[MattSepeta]

Truth

Emmissions emmishions.
According to (liberal leaning) Wikipedia: "The cap is reduced over time to reduce total carbon emissions."

ALSO according to Wikipedia, the only time carbon dioxide is mentioned as a pollutant is when it is found in large concentrated quantities, INDOORS.

"Going Green" is a marketing gimmick and a FAD.

Just wait, in 30 years when the earths climate is universally COLDER, these do-gooders will be eating their words while trying to figure out what they did to the once great capitalist nation they live in.

BUT

I have no problem with living a low-impact lifestyle, I think that everyone shoul dod their own individual part to reduce waste. I just have a feeling that their is no "crisis", and I certainly do not think that the major world governments (soon to be government, god forbid) have any right to tell private business how much cheap energy they can use.

James Owens, CEO of Caterpillar Inc., testified before congress that if not for the FREE carbon credits they were to receive, he would OPPOSE USCAP legislation (ie: WAXMAN MARKEY). But he "supported" it.

Unreal. GOOD FOR APPLE. get the hell away from this stuff, and keep putting out great products!

PS regarding icecaps....
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25348657-401,00.html

 

[retroneo]

I agree... Apple is penalizing American business and patronizing Chinese polluters by their petty spat with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce... Green Hell Blog has more pertinent detail on this topic including comparing photo illustrations of air quality of Apple HQ in Cuppertino, CA compared to the pollution in Shenzhen, China where Apple products are manufactured.

Well, you can choose pictures to say anything you want. Last time I was in Shenzhen took a pic of the sky too, and it wasn't bad at all.

China already uses 16% renewable energy and will easily reach 20% by 2020.
They are number 4 in Wind Power, and will be number 3 in the next few months and number 2 in 2011.
Worlds largest hydroelectricity generator by a large margin.
They are moving fast there.....

 

[reactions]

i'm embarrassed - apple could of really stepped up here

 

[Gleemen]

Sometimes this forum makes me laugh

 

[gilkisson]

Right.

a melted glacier really proves something. natural global cycles have occurred for thousands of years. you must step back to see the forest for the trees.

a scientific fact has to be independent of the observer.

bottom line is there is NO body of evidence proving climate change as a result of human behavior that has been independently verified.

"Independently verified"? By whom? Pray tell, what scientific body would you trust to render such an opinion? Do you have any such entity in mind? Or are you simply grasping at a straw-man?

 

[IntheNet]

Same glacier, 50 years later, same view. Obviously, this is the work of evil ice bandits, eh? Stole all the ice, left a pool of water behind?

gilkisson: Nobody is really denying our cycle of weather and climate where we have warm and cold cycles and yes, glaciers expand and contract. That said, and in full agreement with more efficiency and less pollution in our manufacturing, why go against the Chamber of Commerce when they too are in full agreement with more efficiency and less pollution? You know who is against full agreement with more efficiency and less pollution? China!

The Chamber of Commerce is in the right on this topic; though I love Apple’s products and technology, in this case they seem to be petty and wrong and I wonder if Al Gore is responsible for this low bow by Apple to China?

 

[NT1440]

Right.

a melted glacier really proves something. natural global cycles have occurred for thousands of years. you must step back to see the forest for the trees.

a scientific fact has to be independent of the observer.

bottom line is there is NO body of evidence proving climate change as a result of human behavior that has been independently verified.

And here we have a textbook example of someone who doesn't understand the scientific method. NOTHING is 100% provable.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

according to James Carter, executive director of the Green Chamber of Commerce.

Riiiiight. Like they aren't politically swayed at all. At all.

It's scary how many otherwise intelligent people can't see that the whole Enviro issue is about money, not the enviro. It's a fundraiser issue for places like the GCC, it's a vote getter for pols (scare the children to get mom and dad to vote), it's a money maker for companies that make supposedly enviro friendly products (but really unprovable since man-made global warming has yet to be proven), and heck Al Gore is cleaning up with his phony earth credits (otherwise known as tree saplings). Meanwhile the so-call enviro saviors have no problem jetting across the world to save it. No worries though. I'm sure they'll just buy a few of Al Gore's trees and all those jet fumes will instantly have no negative enviro impact.

Big Biz or Big Enviro, it's all about the green. Period.

 

[Xibalba]

"Independently verified"? By whom? Pray tell, what scientific body would you trust to render such an opinion? Do you have any such entity in mind? Or are you simply grasping at a straw-man?

you answered your own rhetorical question...it has been verified by no one...

 

[IntheNet]

China already uses 16% renewable energy and will easily reach 20% by 2020. They are number 4 in Wind Power, and will be number 3 in the next few months and number 2 in 2011. Worlds largest hydroelectricity generator by a large margin. They are moving fast there.....

Interesting to know retroneo... curious though... when will Apple pressure the Chinese government to adopt the Clean Air Act?

Wouldn't that be a better move by Apple rather than its petty squabble with the Chamber of Commerce?

 

[Xibalba]

And here we have a textbook example of someone who doesn't understand the scientific method. NOTHING is 100% provable.

exactly my point...thanks.