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EPA Gives Apple Silver Rating on Environment

by , 2:10 PM EST, January 8th, 2007

The EPA rates Apple Computer highest amongst producers of notebook computers, and fairly well compared to producers of desktop computers and LCD displays. ArsTechnica noted Saturday that Apple was given a "Silver" rating in its Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), and met 17 of 23 "optional points" as set by the EPA. In comparison, Dell was also given a "Silver" rating, but met only 15 optional points (read the ArsTechnica story for a deeper breakdown of Apple's EPA ratings).

This comes in contrast to Greenpeace, an environmental activist non-profit that has cited Apple as being at the bottom of its own list of major electronics manufacturers. Greenpeace has claimed that Apple doesn't disclose all of its regulated materials used in production, and hasn't provided a time table for eliminating toxic polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

For those interested in this issue, it should be noted that other environmental groups have targeted Apple in the past specifically because the company was so high profile. At the same time, the current EPA has a strong history of favoring corporations and turning a blind eye to many polluters. As is the case with any particular issue, the truth is more likely to lie in the middle.

Apple has invested resources into being environmentally responsible, including recycling programs. Its EPA ranking ahead of companies like Dell very likely represents the reality relative to the rest of the industry. The sad truth, though, is that no matter who is better than whom, the business of producing computers is not an environmentally friendly process, and almost all of Apple's production takes place overseas.

Accordingly, have a bag of salt on hand when hearing most reports on this issue.

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Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject: Three words come to mind...

Suck it, Greenpeace!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Greenpea$e

Greepeace rates companies based on "donations". In other words extortion.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Leaders Lead

Quote
Guest wrote:
Suck it, Greenpeace!


That's a clever perspective, guest. The unprotected workers in the third world who bear the brunt of our e waste problem must not think it's funny, though. Greenpeace wants Apple, being the industry leader, to take the lead in phasing out toxics and instituting a global takeback recycling policy.

That would be, simply, the right thing to do.

A silver star from Bush's EPA probably doesn't mean much to the kids in the scrapyards...

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Nice thing that is not considered is the lifespan of the average mac compared to the average PC. Like double. So if my mac lasts 6 years and the computers at greenpiece HQ last 3, the impact of my mac is half the greenteeth machine.

Close Name:Rainy Day Posts: 607 Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Subject: Sierra Club & EPA

Both the Sierra Club and EPA come to a different conclusion than Greenpeace (which based their "findings" on what companies said about themselves on their websites – how useful is that anyhow?).

Greenpeace is simply a media whore.

And like Guest above observed, Macs last two or three times longer than the average PC, making them all the greener.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
Quote
Guest wrote:
Suck it, Greenpeace!


That's a clever perspective, guest. The unprotected workers in the third world who bear the brunt of our e waste problem must not think it's funny, though. Greenpeace wants Apple, being the industry leader, to take the lead in phasing out toxics and instituting a global takeback recycling policy.

That would be, simply, the right thing to do.

A silver star from Bush's EPA probably doesn't mean much to the kids in the scrapyards...


Stop drinking the Green water, you have been brainwashed by the Green Media Whore.

Close Name:Bosco Posts: 1002 Joined: 03 Jun 2002
Subject: Emerging theme

Who you gonna trust? That's the emerging theme today. On one side, we have Greepeace, protectors of all the exploited selenium-breathing slaves who shine the silicon in our Core Duos with their own nasal excrement. On the other side, we have the EPA, a relic from the Nixon administration when Republicans were into wage and price controls. This is a very tough thing to evaluate. I need to know where Munster and Wu weigh in. I'm sure they'll tell us before the end of the day.

P.S. You need to be very careful with environmental impact analyses that invoke the service life of the product. You get results like a Hummer H2 using less energy dust to dust than a Prius. We all know that can't possibly be true because Hummers are evil and Priuses are the most noble car ever invented! So the whole line of reasoning must be false.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Pot calling kettle

Had to laugh. Over at Greenpeace's site, they made a snippy little comment "(this from folks who can't get the capitalization on Greenpeace right!)", then failed to notice their own capitalization gaffe, calling Macworld "MacWorld" several times throughout the article.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Sweet

Quote
Guest wrote:

Stop drinking the Green water, you have been brainwashed by the Green Media Whore.


Yup, like I said... Clever take on something important.

And: "Greepeace rates companies based on "donations". In other words extortion."

Um... wrong. Greenpeace won't even accept money from companies. What they're doing is pressuring the industry to adopt more ecological policies. Hope it works.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Greenpeace needs to protect its credibility

The EPA rating is a ranking. So unless the Bushies have it against Apple, I would trust their evaluation of Apple's 'green-ness' as compared to other US companies.

I am in complete support of Greenpeace's aims but its tactics vis-a-vis Apple just diminishes their credibility. When presented with conflicting evidence about Apple's green credentials, some spokesman then tried to weasel his way out by saying something like "We're targetting Apple because they're so visible and we'd get our message across more easily" or words to that effect. Well then just say so and jettison the suspect rating system.

Credibility is the only thing Greenpeace has going for it. I wish they would traffic in it with a little more care. They need to present well-reasoned, thoughtful statements at all times. What they do is too important for them to lose their moral weight by allowing themselves to be lumped in with the likes of PETA, Earth Liberation Front, and other such groups that seem to be run by emotionally overcharged teenagers.

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