Out of the 18 electronics companies evaluated in the 8th edition of Greenpeace’s Guide to Greener Electronics, only two companies – Sony Ericsson and Sony – score above 5/10. The overall score of the ranked companies has plummeted as Greenpeace tightens requirements on electronic waste (e-waste) and toxic chemicals, and adds new requirements for evaluating companies’ impact on climate change.
The newly-added energy criteria (1) require companies to show their political support for global mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the post Kyoto political process. Companies must also commit to absolute reductions in GHG emissions from their own operations. Most companies take a limited view of this by only focusing on the energy efficiency of their products (2) rather than including the production process. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector currently accounts for 2% of global GHG emissions (3), equal to the aviation industry. As one of the most innovative and fastest growing industries, Greenpeace expects the sector to take leadership in tackling climate change by reducing both their direct and indirect climate carbon footprint.
Apple again comes in at 11th position scoring 4.1 points (down from 6.0 points in Greenpeace’s last report in December 2007), mainly due to putting products on the market whose key components are free of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and PVC vinyl plastic. For example, all new models of iMac and the MacBook Air have bromine-free casings and printed circuit board laminates as well as PVC-free internal cables. Millions of iPods now have bromine-free enclosures and printed circuit board laminates. The MacBook Air also has mercury free LCD display with arsenic-free glass. MacBook Pros come with mercury-free LED backlit displays. Apple scores poorly on most e-waste criteria, except for reporting a recycling rate in 2006 of 9.5% as a percentage of sales 7 years ago. It does only slightly better on energy criteria, failing to score on all criteria except energy efficiency of products, where it scores top marks (doubled) for all desktops computers, portable PCs and displays complying with Energy Star 4.0 and their iPod and iPhone power adapters not only exceeding the Energy Star standard, but already meeting California’s stricter efficiency regulations that take effect 1 July 2008.
“Electronics giants pay attention to environmental performance on certain issues, while ignoring others that are just as important. Philips, for example, scores well on chemicals and energy criteria, but scores a zero on e-waste since it has no global take-back polices,” said Iza Kruszewska, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner, in the press release. “Philips would score higher if it took responsibility for its own branded e-waste and established equitable global take-back schemes.”
Many companies score well on energy efficiency as their products comply and exceed Energy Star standards (4). The best performers on energy efficiency are Sony Ericsson and Apple, with all of their models meeting, and many exceeding, Energy Star requirements. Sony Ericsson stands out as the first company to score almost top marks on all of the chemicals criteria (3). With all new Sony Ericsson models being PVC-free, the company has also met the new chemicals criterion in the ranking, having already banned antimony, beryllium and phthalates from models launched since January 2008.
“Greenpeace aims to show which companies are serious about becoming environmental leaders. We want them to race towards meeting the new criteria: phasing out other toxic chemicals, increasing the recycling rate of e-waste, using recycled materials in new products and reducing their impact on climate change,” concluded Iza Kruszewska.
More info here.
@ Greenpeace
So what. Since when do you matter in the technology field
all very well and good, but Greenpeace is still full of shit
Does Greenpeace audit itself as well? It would be interesting to see how it rates against the very business’s it is vilifying!
Screw greenpiss.
Who elected Greenpeace to any position of authority? My dog has an opinion on the subject as well, but he’s just not gotten around to issuing a press release yet.
I hope Apple does not make any decisions based on what Greenpeace says. They have no scientific credibility and they are anti-human.
They always seem to ignore how long people use their electronic equipment. If I buy one Apple computer in the same time that someone else needs two Dells, shouldn’t the amount of chemicals be half that of a Dell?
If Greenpeace is irresponsible in their positions then they will get less and less support. If they keep bashing Apple they won’t get any donations or support from me.
More from the assclowns of environmental responsibility.
No one takes them seriously anymore. Defying them is a virtue.
I have lost a lot of respect for Green Peace.
!news
@ math geek
yes, assuming there’s the same amount of chemicals in a dell and mac to begin with.
I’m sure if Apple donated large sums of money to Greenpeace, their “green score” would go way up. That’s the way it works with these looney environmentalists and also the climate change con artists. I you just give them a large cash donation, or pay for bogus carbon credits, you can pollute and waste energy all you want. These hypocrites are only in it for the money anyway, not to help the environment or the planet.
@greenpeace:
If you want to do something against global warming, stop making hot air.
(Greenpeace’s ‘report’ is one of the most useless collections of words I have seen… ever. It’s no information, just entropy)
I am so sick and tired of Greenpease trying to score points, i.e. fee advertiment, at the expence of Apple! It time Apple’s legal department goes after them once and for all! It’s time Apple kicks some ass!
@Reality Check,
Face the facts: Business as usual can’t continue much longer. Just 50 years ago, the entire world used about 20 million barrels of oil per day. Today, the US, China, and India combine for about 60mbpd. If we score Europe, the rest of Asia, Canada, South America, Africa and the Middle East as using 0 barrels per day, then usage has only tripled in fifty years. Obviously, it’s much higher than that, and it is unsustainable. Greenpeace may be off the deep end, but your attitude is worse than theirs.
News outlets should really stop printing what Greenpeace spews out. They are irrelevant.
Maybe that is why AAPL is up today -:)
Shit I meant to say “Free Advertisement”!
See what happens when one forgets to spell check I must have been really pissed off but today’s Greenpeace is not the Greenpease I grew-up supporting… they need to get back to there whales and leave Environmental matters to others!
By the way, did anyone notice that it’s been just about a year ago when last Greenpease went on a tear… they must be shopping for money again… well there of my short list!
Even Patrick Moore, co-founder and former president of Greenpeace feels Greenpeace has lost their way.
I am an environmentalist and I do environmental/forestry research for the federal Government.
Greenpeace is irrelevant and a group that few listen to because of their irrational behaviour.
@Reality -> How do you know? Do you know how many barrels of oil are still in the ground waiting to be discovered? People have been making those predictions for decades. They were wrong, horribly wrong and it caused years and years of economic problems that didn’t need to happen. Their politics and religious beliefs overshadowed reality.
It is that kind of I know everything and you are stupid if you don’t believe what I say crap and I’ll shout you down while I continue to spread FUD that they claim is fact that is really frightening to me.
While were waiting for the next energy revolution to occur, and I for one hope it does happen, why don’t we utilize the resources we have available and raise the standard of living for everyone on the planet instead of lowering it by reducing it.
MDN Magic Word: We ‘can’ do this.
Lesson: If you want to shake down corporate America, wrap yourself in either the cloak of environmentalism or the cloak of racism. Greenpeace uses the same strategies that Rev. Sharpton uses to extort the desired behavior of their targets. The IRS has finally caught on to Sharpton, I wonder how long before they investigate Greenpeace?
Thanks for your posting! I just love it when you write. It’s so much fun to see you get your shorts in a knot, ranting and so full of yourself, spit drooling down your cheeks as you scream furiously. To watch your cheeks puff up as you turn red with anger and hate is so cute…
Please do hate some more! The more you hate, the stronger Emperor Palpatine becomes…
So please do come back again and hate some more. You are most welcome to rant here. You’re making self-righteousness into a true art form. Thanks for visiting! Have a nice day!
The Race is on to see who is in last place.
Current leader is Nintendo with Microsoft in following in a close second for the coveted last place title.
As for greenpeace, I’m sure Steve/Apple doesn’t care two hoots about a bunch of misanthropic whiners.
It’s not like the Amish have ever been a target market, you know?
Hey Greenpeace, I’ve got a donation for you…
…it’s in my FUCK OFF pocket.
I’m glad Greenpeace is auditing companies and publicizing their findings.
Sure I love my Apple products, but would I love them even more if thery were less toxic? Of course!
I don’t understand anti-Greenpeace, or anti-environmentalist postings here. You’re in favour of pollution?
I’m trying to figure out what harm can come of Apple (or any company) making its products less toxic.
Greenpeace can go to HELL!!!
“Greenpeace aims to show which companies are serious about becoming environmental leaders.”
BULL $h!T
The “political” requirements are enough to let the world know that “GreenPiece” is full of crap!
Just like any other large political organization they have become whores for money and support – “F” um!
Wait a minute, I love the environment, N-ACB. I surf, kayak, fish, hike or do something to generally enjoy the great outdoors every day. It’s not about resisting Apple making better products for consumers and the environment, it’s about Greenpeace using extortion tactics to get what they want. The ends do not justify the means, IMHO.
What’s really alarming is…
…most of these “extreme enviromental radicals” are heading top positions in the Democratic Party.
Just look in the eyes of the House Speaker, he’s just plumb crazy.
Sue OPEC?
Tax our very own American job creating oil companies for making a bit more profit because of China’s huge demand for world resources driving up oil costs?
Tax our oil companies for using leases on land, then tax them again for not using them if they don’t have enough together to make it economically viable to drill adjacent leases?
What is the Democratic agenda? Destroy America?
God Dam America? Hail China?
Who made China US favored trade nation? Clinton.
Why does the Democrats hate Capitalism and Wall Street? Are they secret radical fringe nutcases that are utterly clueless about how just about anything works in the world?
Sue OPEC! Good luck!
@NoodleBoy
Greenpeace wants power at any cost. Even if that cost is to destroy our standard of living. They want to use coercion and deceit and propaganda and force. What they don’t want is to let people decide for themselves.
One of their requirements:
(1) require companies to show their political support for global mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas
Companies are supposed to make money and pay employees, not be political tools. If a company is doing something you don’t want them to do, you need to stop buying their products. Then they will change. The great thing about living free is that each person gets to decide what is best for them instead of some zealots.
No one wants pollution, but I would think almost everyone can come up with some rational balance.
And don’t believe that corporations are going green to save the planet. They are going green because they will benefit in $ from the expensive products they will get to sell you because you are required to comply with laws that were created from Greenpeace and the large corporations and the politicians that want to control you.
wake up America… greenpeice (of sh.t) is the new home of communism….. trying to destroy everything great about our country!
The next article about Greenpeace on MDN should be ignored with NO COMMENTS to show how bored we all are with their pointless, loony, parasitic, self serving activities.
@ Mad Mac Maniac…
For every dollar a Democratic president has raised the national debt in the past 59 years Republican presidents have raised the debt by $2.99. All of our current economic woes rest squarely on the shoulders of Dubya and his administrations complete incompetence in all matters financial.
And you say it’s the Dems that don’t know how things work, I mean they’re far from perfect but your assertion is way off base.
Reality Check is dead on correct. The Greenpeace types and global warming/climate change alarmists are only out to make a buck for themselves. You can damn well bet that if Apple lined Greenpeace’s pockets with some cash, their complaints about Apple’s green policy would immediately disappear. And don’t even get me started about the carbon credits bullsh*t, that’s an even bigger money scam. These idiots aren’t trying to save the planet, all they’re really accomplishing is to collapse the nation’s economy and make themselves rich off of it. They’re the lowest form of scum.
Wait, so taking a political stand is part of the rating now? That’s BS. Stick to the topic at hand. Dang lobbyists…
@Willie G
Presidents cannot spend money. Only congress has the power to spend money. Presidents cannot put us into debt only congress can.
Who created the endless amounts of entitlements? Mostly liberal democrats who maintain their power on the backs of the poor.
Note: I’m no fan of conservatives either, I just really hate liberals.
Hitler.
There the comment thread can now be considered ended.
Come on people. Your, baseless, pointless attacks are really undignified and reflect badly on Apple. If you have even a shred of evidence, then show it. Otherwise back off.
The Great Apple Fanboy Massacre:
“…maybe, just MAYBE, the rest of the human race will start taking you seriously rather than consider you guys the pathetic joke that you are”
You’re the one registering as “The Great Apple Fanboy Massacre:” and taking time out of your day to post (a lot) on a pro-Apple site, just to take the piss out of Mac users.
Pathetic joke? Physician, heal thyself.
Greenpeace is not picking on Apple. If anything, you all should be happy because the dreaded Microsoft fares far worse than Apple.
I don’t understand where Greenpeace are coming from. They should be awarding Apple as a company that is truly saving the planet and not worried about a few toxic chemicals in an ipod.
The reason is that Apple has so far sold 5 Billion songs and so many hundred million movies, millions of Audiobooks and the latest in TV shows, An average CD has 10 songs so we have 500 million cd’s that didn’t have to be pressed – 500 million Jewel cases and 500 million booklets with all the toxic chemicals that make ink and printing. The trees saved from the paper – the machines that didn’t have to run to make these disks multiply that with the movies and the TV shows and Apple has made the world a far greener place than they are getting credit for.
Greenpeace should be rewarding and encouraging Apple and similar companies because it’s technology and nothing else that is going to take us out of the mess we are in and everytime Apple works out how to do things smaller with their R and D they save the planet a little bit more.
I have always admired and supported Greenpeace for the risks they take and the bravery of their people up against the factory ships etc. However I don’t understand why no one is balancing the books by realising how Apple etc are leading possibly the most important industry in saving on all the other manufacturing of CD’s etc. Apple and similar companies are pushing for a better world and achieving it. We will not be saved by wearing Jesus sandals, eating ryvita, hand knitting our sweaters and hugging trees.
Greenpeace you are beginning to lose my support – go and save the Amazon rainforests and the things you are good at – or is this a second generation of Greenpeace that don’t take active duty they pontificate and pick on large corporates rather than get their hands dirty
…like it’s the end of an era for Greenpeace. $4+ per gallon gas is motivating the average American to discover for himself the bullshit that is radical environmentalism!
http://www.americansolutions.com/actioncenter/petitions/?Guid=54ec6e43-75a8-445b-aa7b-346a1e096659
Measuring the amount of products sold by company 7 years ago and returned to that company for the company to recycle is stupid. Apple has free recycling for its products, but how many 7 year old Macs are still in use or simply in someone’s closet?
I donate old Macs which I’m not going to use anymore to schools, churches, etc. If the computer component is not usable any more, I recycle it, but I don’t mail it back to Apple 7 years later for Apple to recycle.
Anyone have a 7 year old VCR they want to mail to Phillips for recycling? The postage will cost you more than buying a new VCR, and you’ll have to find a cardboard box, packing materials, non-recyclable clear packing tape, and use fuel for delivery vehicles just to get it to Phillips. Recycling locally saves resources and helps your local small business recycler, who’s trying to keep his business running.
What a stupid report that measures virtually nothing.
@Looks to me…
No, it’s the end of the oil driven economy, so brace your self because it’s going to get ugly. Particularly for the SUV crowd.
I think companies would score higher on greenpeace’s card if the companies products gave consumers a fast acting non treatable cancer and reduced the population of all the unnatural humans on the planet.
These sort of scores – while commendable – are not likely to mean anything clear in the wider community.
Where is the score that apple users are likely to be more intelligent that PC users and regardless of greenpeace actually care about their environment?
Tell the crazy Greenpeace to drop dead. All they use is Apple’s rep to get their stupid left wing ideas out there. They are worthless commies!!!
Greenpeace does not accept donations from corporations or governments. It also screens donations from individuals to ensure they are not fronts for corporate donations.
So no, even if Apple tried to dangle lots of cash in front of Greenpeace to shut them up, Greenpeace will not accept it.
Here’s a link:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/getinvolved/donate
Now that you have been notified of Greenpeace’s official policy, please stop repeating any untruths and please stop making unsubstantiated allegations.
The truth is that Greenpeace is not influenced by corporate donations, because it does not accept them. Period.
Who gives a f**k what white guilty liberals think? The hell with them and their socialist agenda
Greenpeace is only influenced by the smell of their own farts obviously.
Don’t beat around the bush, tell us how you really feel
😀
Greenpeace has gone a bit flaky lately but its good to see that someone is keeping big business in check. And while you bash them out of fanboy rage, I’d bet you’ll change your tune when you realise they’ve ranked Microsoft second last:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7473366.stm
Read the article. It’s not about the technology or targetted anti-appleism, its about environmental pollution (it’s your problem too). You’ll see that there is more to this issue than the apple-fanboy ecosystem you’ve buried yourself in. So get some balance in your perspective of life. Like a previous poster said, how is less pollution not a good thing?
Forget the standard tactic of dismissing negative comments as fanboy rhetoric. Weak.
Coming soon: The return of common sense and the demise of radical environmentalism.
There’s nothing I can say that expresses my frustration with Greenpeace.
> require companies to show their political support for global mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the post Kyoto political process.
What does that mean? The company must donate money to Greenpeace in order to score high in its report.
So, protecting Apple is more important than protecting the environment yours and my kids and grandkids will live in. Nice one, dudes. Shows your sense of reality. I for one sure hope my coming macs and ipods will have a smaller footprint. If greenpeace auditing helps getting there, more power to them. Sheesh …
@Steev
“Even Patrick Moore, co-founder and former president of Greenpeace feels Greenpeace has lost their way.”
Here is a link to an article that supports Steev’s comment:
http://www.ccfassociation.org/moore28jan05.htm
After reading that it seems we really shouldn’t give any credit to anything organisations like GreenPiss say un less they are scientifically thought through like Patrick Moore’s new organisation that bases their insights on fact and scientific reasearch.
http://www.greenspiritstrategies.com/D107.cfm
Hey @Reality Check, if you want a real reality check then read Patrick Moore’s article in my last post. Greenpeace and other environmentalist organisations that use sensationalism and emotion as their M.O. do more harm than good. That’s why he got out. And he was one of the founders of Greenpeace.
And to base your study of electronic companies soley on their published future environmental plans is a cheap shot. If you don’t publish you get a bad score but that score has no basis in reality.
Hey @Reality Check, if you want a real reality check then read Patrick Moore’s article in my last post. Greenpeace and other environmentalist organisations that use sensationalism and emotion as their M.O. do more harm than good. That’s why he got out. And he was one of the founders of Greenpeace.
And to base your study of electronic companies solely on their published future environmental plans is a cheap shot. If you don’t publish you get a bad score but that score has no basis in reality.
The reason why greenpeace ought to be opposed is because of one simple fact – they are anti-human! It’s not about making the world a ‘happier, greener place’, it’s about reverting the planet either to when men lived in caves, or eradicating the human species altogether.
And for that reason, none of their rantings or ‘findings’ should be taken seriously, in any shape or form.
If you love your Apple computer, your car, your central heating, your air conditioning, your local wal mart, your iPhone…
Luddites and th Amish need not apply.
@ Jelly Bean
Why is it you automatically assume that by drilling for more oil we have a higher standard of living? Why not find some other way to get power?
If tomorrow this President issued a national directive stating that in the interests of national security, 25% of all passenger cars purchased by the federal govt in 2009, 50% in 2010 and 75% in 2011, must be at least hybrid-electric, and must be manufactured by domestic auto makers, and 25% must be full electric in 2010, 50% in 2011.
That helps us in national security (reduce demand on foreign countries) and helps domestic corporations (GM, Ford, Chrylser and whoever is the next auto maker…
Oh yeah, it also helps my kids and the environment as well.
Please DO NOT put Wal-Mart on the same level as Apple. Wal-Mart is destroying not only the environment, but our economy as well by selling cheap crap made with exploited labor that doesn’t last to people who think they’re getting a deal.
Mankind is producing more and more plant food while destroying more and more plants.
Perhaps it’s time for a two pronged approach. Let’s slow the rate of increase in plant food production and replant some of the biggest plant food eaters.
Let’s replant the tropical rain forests and practice some birth control to cut back the population pressures in the underdeveloped world.
All we have to do is use more mass transit and get Catholic and Muslim leaders’ heads around birth control.
That is two things Communist countries were good at, mass transit and birth control.
Good luck with controlling population and personal freedoms in democratic countries.
When it comes right down to it, real men don’t care about global warming. The just want to jump in their vehicle and look for someone to fcuk.
MDN: Your headline for this article is misleading. The critical point here is Apple’s RANKING, which has NOT CHANGED.
As for Greenpeace: I like that they are around and attempting to set some standards and goals, however fumblingly.
But as a biologist (among other things) I have to point out that Greenpeace still justifiably suffer from lots of GAS with still insubstantial solidity. IOW if they are to attain the high regard they are trying to attain, they need to base their mouth utterances upon solid science. They are required to have scientists running the show, not loony fringe ‘liberal’ (ooo, that evil word!) marketing moron types. Blethering and foaming without actual substance backing up your words does nothing but feed the Neo-Con-Job’s scam claims that all things ‘Green’ are vacuous, ‘expensive’ (to corporate rule), hair-brained, economically dangerous and communist/unpatriotic.
The more seriously substantial the EXPERTISE of Greenpeace, the fewer alarmist-manic-big-mouth-blowhards, the more successful our hopefully Green future will be.
Conclusion: Get serious Greenpeace. Skip playing politics all together. Stick to the facts. Use FACTS as your selling point. Get EXPERTS to present the facts and make the case for Green. Knowledge is power. Ranting is only gas.
I am so sick of the term “carbon footprint”
Get real, America! Get back to common sense and grow some fuckin’ balls!
I think it’s wonderful that someone of the use of toxic chemicals, recycling, energy consumption in the tech. industry. If Greenpeace weren’t doing this, nobody would even be talking about it now. If you don’t like it, go back to reading the WSJ and playing with your Mac as if nothing mattered — all the anti-Greenpeace posts here are classic cases of denial: people are threatened, and rather than think about changing their own behavior, they just vilify the messenger.