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Green Apples

By Cherl Petso ecomii.com
December 10, 2008
File under: Business News, Design & Innovation, Sustainable Products

 business-green-apple-2.jpg

Have you seen the latest MacBook commercial?  It boasts a new laptop that has an entirely recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure, runs on a quarter of the power of a single light bulb, and is made without mercury and lead.

It’s actually a little surprising that Apple hasn’t been leading the way in green computer technology, they seem to be ahead of the curve everywhere else.  In 2007, Apple ranked 2.7 on the scale of environmentally-friendly computers.  While this isn’t terrible, Apple fans demanded more.  And they got what they wanted when Steve Jobs launched several environmental initiatives to create a better product.

Toxic Chemicals.  The company has eliminated Mercury, Arsenic, brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and PVC from their Macbook line, most ipods, and the iphone 3G. Many computers still use these toxic chemicals in their products (my Gateway is starting to look pretty bad right now).  This decrease in toxins is not only good for the Earth and the people putting together these devices, but it makes these electronics more recyclable.

Recyclable.  Speaking of recyclable, in 2006 Apple recycled about nine percent of the weight of all products sold seven years prior (a system Dell uses).  It was approximately 13 percent in 1997 and is projected to be about 20 percent in 2008.  Surpassing ten percent makes Apple the leader in percentage of recycled waste.  The advertised green laptop uses recyclable glass and aluminum in its encasement and display.

Shipping.  Apple is striving to ship using less packaging and smaller boxes, another plus.  They describe this minor change as having a “major positive impact” due to its chain effect—a smaller box means that more boxes can fit in a truck or boat, which ultimately means less trucks and boats.

Efficiency.  As advertised above, the new green notebooks use a quarter of the energy of a single light bulb, a pretty cool bragging point.  In fact, the previous Mac book edition runs on the energy of a single light bulb.  The green notebook is able to preserve power in a smarter way, for example, switching from the CPU to the GPU (graphics processing unit) as appropriate.  Additionally, the LED-backlit display uses 30 percent less energy than its previous counterparts, even automatically dimming when in a dark room.

Whatever your computer or electronic preference, you should always take them in to get recycled.  Many computer stores have programs and some Apple stores are offering a 10 percent discount on a new ipod if you bring in your old one to be recycled.

 
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