Let's give Apple a global high-five following Steve Jobs' announcement Wednesday that the company will go greener. After increased pressure from environmental groups, such as Greepeace, Apple pledged it will remove arsenic -- you heard me, arsenic -- from its displays by 2008 and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardant (BFR) by the end of 2008. As Greenpeace says, "Way to go Steve!"
But Apple isn't off the hook yet. Apple still won't offer recycling in 100 percent of the countries where their products are sold and they haven't created a completely green product. And its statements like these that make me a little nervous: "Apple plans to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of mercury…when technically and economically feasible." Clearly, money trumps health every time.
Yet, the biggest lesson here - and the one consumers, shareholders and employees should be most proud of - is that companies must answer to industry pressure. It was letters and emails from thousands of people that made Apple confront it's not-so-green-sheen or as Steve Jobs likes to put it, Apple was already going green but they failed to "communicate" their green efforts to their stakeholders.
That doesn’t mean we should all go out and sing kumbaya yet. Dell, Gateway, Hewlett Packard, and Lenovo all ship CRT displays, which contain three pounds of lead, and there are no completely green electronic products on the market.
Despite the known dangers associated with lead, arsenic, and mercury in electronics, Apple's board of directors has asked shareholders to vote against the proposals. Why, you ask? Money, of course.
And one more thing Steve Jobs needs to clarify - what happens to the Apple products shipped to other countries for recycling? Or "donated" to third world countries who either don't have the skills or the resources to utilize the "gift"? Did I hear someone say landfills?
But instead of talking about what Apple isn't doing to become greener, let's take today to congratulate Apple on its efforts and encourage them to do more. There will be plenty of time in the future for criticism.
Related Stories: | Topics:Ethonomics, sustainability, Apple Inc., Steve Jobs, Personal Computer Manufacturing, Technology Sector, Manufacturing Sector |
Email
Digg
StumbleUpon
Facebook
Buzz Up!
LinkedIn
Recent Comments | 5 Total
May 4, 2007 at 5:32pm by Apple Shareholder
I'm an Apple shareholder - actually 1 share, that's all, but still a piece of the company no less. I voted against a majority of the statements on their most recent proxy - the ones that would've turned a blind eye on the problem of recycling/going greener as well as compensation (that's another story in and of itself). If Al Gore is an Apple Board Member, he'd better put his money where his mouth is on this topic. As a consumer, and Apple user for more than 2 decades, it's about time they hear from us with a much louder voice - and we shall be heard.
May 4, 2007 at 5:45pm by Rahul
It's high time all IT manufacturers start going GREEN... the coming generations are going to use a lot to technology products so we need to create more awarness about the importance of going green.
May 4, 2007 at 11:46pm by Kenc
Did Steve Jobs say Apple "will go greener"? It sounded to me that Steve stated that Apple was already very green and likely the greenest tech company out there, but that they hadn't communicated their plans before.
May 5, 2007 at 12:17am by Charles
The Macintosh has always been green. I remember when the Mac first shipped in 1984, Apple made a big deal about their new manufacturing processes that required vendors to ship components in assembly line-ready pallets, eliminating tons of packaging. The entire Mac factory was built around methods to eliminate waste in assembly. Now this is standard procedure with most electronics manufacturers, but Apple pretty much invented it.
May 7, 2007 at 5:56pm by Uzo
Apple's decision to announce their intent to go green is kind weird to me. While any PR agent would tell you to promote any of your good-deeds, a lawyer would tell you not to bring attention to your wrong-doings in the process. I never knew there was arsenic in my iPod! It's so sleek, white, shiny and metallic, that it seems as if the little mp3 player dropped out of Technology Heaven, or at least that's what they want you to think. The iPod is marketed on it's "pristine" design, and yet it has anything but a spotless assemblage. Way to go Apple, get the arsenic out of my iPod. And while you're at it, you can remove any other hazardous material out of your products you can spare two good deeds.