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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

A Greener Apple ... Maybe

Apple fights back against reports that it is less than environmentally friendly. Steve Jobs has his say:

Apple has been criticized by some environmental organizations for not being a leader in removing toxic chemicals from its new products, and for not aggressively or properly recycling its old products. Upon investigating Apple’s current practices and progress towards these goals, I was surprised to learn that in many cases Apple is ahead of, or will soon be ahead of, most of its competitors in these areas. Whatever other improvements we need to make, it is certainly clear that we have failed to communicate the things that we are doing well.

It is generally not Apple’s policy to trumpet our plans for the future; we tend to talk about the things we have just accomplished. [Did anyone else spew water on the screen when they read that? I did. --Paul] Unfortunately this policy has left our customers, shareholders, employees and the industry in the dark about Apple’s desires and plans to become greener. Our stakeholders deserve and expect more from us, and they’re right to do so. They want us to be a leader in this area, just as we are in the other areas of our business. So today we’re changing our policy.

So this doesn't so much refute the claims, it pretty much admits to them. Apple is working to change its abuse of the environment, but like most other PC makers, it's not exactly doing a great job yet. For example:

By 2010, Apple may be recycling significantly more than either Dell or HP as a percentage of past sales weight.

Or they may not. It will be one or the other, I guess.

All the e-waste we collect in North America is processed in the U.S., and nothing is shipped overseas for disposal.

All the products Apple makes are manufactured in China and shipped worldwide for sale. I'm guessing they don't come over on a flower-powered tugboat.

Look, given the company's hubris, they'll no doubt get where they need to be very quickly. But then, Apple's hubris is what makes open letters like this happen in the first place, right?

Anyway, I have to end this on a comedic note:

We apologize for leaving you in the dark for this long.

I assume this was directed at the people of China who live near Apple's plants.

Labels: Apple, Humor

[ Posted at 3:26 PM | Permalink ]