Advertisement
Savannah McKnight wants a green Apple.
 |
Winona State students and faculty members gather on the WSU campus Thursday afternoon to remember the individuals killed in the Virginia Tech shootings. "I just really feel for the community of Virginia Tech and I wanted to give all th support I can," WSU sophomore Sarah Burgen said. Students and faculty were invited to sign and write messages in two "WSU Memorium Books" that will be mailed to Virginia Tech, along with formal letters of condolences from the Student Senate and President Ramaley. (Photo by Kate Weber of the Winona Daily News) |
But it’s not the fruit she craves.
Even though the 18-year-old Winona State University art student loves her Mac laptop with stickers plastered all over it, she would trade it in for a more environmentally friendly computer any day.
Winona State’s student environmental club took photos this week of McKnight and 22 other students with their laptops and signs saying, “I (heart) my Apple but I wish it was green.” The project was part of a global campaign by folks who like their Macs and iPods, but want to see the manufacturer reduce its use of toxic chemicals and recycle old machines.
They aren’t boycotting, just sending in pictures with their beloved, toxic machines and asking nicely for Apple to get a little greener.
But in spite of the campaign’s soft sell, Apple is not happy. The Cupertino, Calif., company, which announced in October that it had sold more than 1 million of its popular iPod music players, defends its environmental track record.
Greenpeace, the international environmental organization, initiated the crusade last year after the leading electronics company known for its cutting-edge technology lagged behind other companies in phasing out chemicals like brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chlorides, or PVC, a widely-used hard plastic that doesn’t easily recycle and emits harmful dioxins if burned.
And such electronic waste adds up.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency reports that e-waste makes up less than 4 percent of this country’s total solid waste, but it’s growing three times faster than any other waste. In the past seven years, the EPA estimates 500 million personal computers have entered the municipal solid waste stream.
Greenpeace feels the problems can be solved through better design, said Rick Hind, legislative director for Greenpeace’s Toxic Techs campaign. Recycling alone won’t solve the e-waste problem, so Greenpeace pushes electronic companies to initiate comprehensive “cradle-to-grave” programs and to make long-lasting products.
“We send waste overseas where kids take them apart in scrap yards by burning the containers to rescue copper,” Hind said. “Some of the most sophisticated products are ruining the lives of the poor families in other parts of the world.”
Through Winona State’s required laptop rental program, students can lease either an Apple or Gateway laptop for $1,000 a year. Only about 800, or 10 percent, of students use Apples, said information technology specialist Ali Omar.
Students have the option to buy the laptops when they graduate. Those not purchased are sent back to Merrimack, the company WSU contracts and then are re-sold, Omar said.
In August, Greenpeace started a quarterly ranking system of mobile phone and PC manufactures. In the most recent ranking of 14 leading manufacturers, Apple ranked last.
Although Apple has phased out PVC in its packaging and complied months ahead of the 2006 deadline set by a European Union mandate to eliminate hazardous materials in electronics sold there, Greenpeace claims some of Apple’s major products like the iPod nano and popular MacBook laptop still contain PVC.
The “Green My Apple” campaign teeters on the edge of flattery.
Greenpeace doesn’t call for a full-out boycott of Apple products nor do they expect to bruise Apple’s image with the campaign.
“The company’s very innovating in the industry, and we want to urge them to take their innovation and Apple to the environment,” Hind said.
Greenpeace aims to show Apple that their customers insist they go green, and that they should become a green technology leader to create a ripple effect in the industry.
“People who use Apples are often hipsters or environmental and concerned about (these issues),” said Winona State environmental club member Brian Sanders. “Apple is known as a pioneer company and if we get them to adopt a responsible waste program and reduce their toxins in manufacturing we think that can bring a change in other companies.”
But Apple isn’t flattered by the campaign.
“We disagree with Greenpeace’s rating and the criteria they chose,” said Kristin Huquet of Apple’s environment and speakers bureau. “Apple has a strong environmental track record and has led the industry in restricting and banning toxic substances such as mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, as well as BFRs.”
In 2001, Apple stopped using cathode ray tube (CRT) displays in its monitors, which eliminated more than two pounds of lead in each machine. Those computers also consume almost 80 percent less energy when at rest.
The company also expanded its recycling program in 2001 to offer free computer take-back with the purchase of a new Mac, Huquet said.
Although Apple scores poorly in Greenpeace’s ratings, the company has earned higher marks from the EPA. For example, the company’s MacBook Pro laptop earned a mid-level ranking under a new electronics assessment tool developed by the agency as a universal standard.
Electric Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT set a uniform definition of “green” computers as a way for large companies and institutions to find environmentally friendly products, said Scot Case from the Green Electronics Council, the organization that maintains the EPEAT registry..
President Bush recently required all federal agencies to purchase computers manufacturers that comply with the standards. The EPA estimates the federal government’s $40 billion worth of green computers will save $71.4 million dollars in energy costs and reduce hazardous waste by 2,820 metric tons.
Greenpeace as Goldfinger wrote on Apr 21, 2007 10:41 AM: