I like a red apple just as much as the next guy, but I’ve always been a fan of green apples and it looks like the biggest apple of all is getting really green.
The company that has made access to music on the go an everyday part of life has recently started making a move to be one of the biggest green companies in the world. That’s not to say Apple hasn’t been environmentally conscious in the past. According to the new environment page of their website, Apple has been developing ways to minimize its impact on the environment for over 20 years. Looks like Apple has been looking forward with more than just their products.
Green Apples
Something very interesting about Apple is that they are willing to state that they are aware that climate change is a real issue. Even more interesting is what they are doing to ensure they have as little impact on climate change as they can.
Apple has been working on reducing and eliminating harmful toxic substances in their products. They have already removed as many as they can and are making sure that they stay out. Every one of their suppliers must meet the standard of Apple’s Restricted Substances Specifications which go beyond the minimum set by the law.
Apple designers are also constantly finding new ways to use less raw material and more recycled, recyclable and sustainable plant-based materials. Through manufacturing methods such as unibody construction, they have been able to reduce the size of many products while maintaining the durability of their products. For instance, the current Mac Pro uses a whopping 74 percent less steel, and aluminum than the previous design and the current iMac is made with 68 percent less material than the first design.
It’s not just a manufacturing aspect either. There are 145 retails stores in the U.S. that are powered by renewable energy and every retail store in Australia is powered the same way.
What Apple is doing seems to be working. Between 2011 and 2013 Apple’s carbon footprint has dropped 31 percent, despite their total power consumption going up by 44 percent.
Their 2014 Environmental Responsibility Report is available online if you care to take a look and they have been tracking and measuring their carbon footprint for years now. They recognize that data is the best way to recognize where and how they can make the responsible decision to be a greener, more environmentally responsible company.
Crisp and Refreshing!
Seeing what Apple is doing is a refreshing change from what we are used to seeing from big companies. Hopefully other companies, big and small, can take a look at the progress Apple has made in becoming a more green company and follow Apple’s lead. If having amazing products wasn’t enough to make you want to join the Mac world maybe their efforts to be green will.
How much does a company’s environmental awareness impact if you buy their products?