Apple's New Green Computer

If you are in the market for a new computer or laptop there are now greener options. Computers and laptops that are manufactured normally contain harmful chemicals, including brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), in the circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, and adhesives. Apple has worked to remove these chemicals from the aluminum-based MacBook family by launching green computers.

The new MacBook Pros are the greenest ever. Made with arsenic-free glass, BFR-free internal components, Mercury-free LED-backlit display, PVC-free internal cables and highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosures, Apple’s laptop range can now be recycled a lot easier than the earlier versions. On top of all this, the battery in the new 17-inch MacBook Pro lasts up to five years or 1,000 recharges. This means that the laptop uses just one battery in the time that typical notebooks use three. Apple is also committed to using between 34% - 37% smaller packaging for the notebooks.

Apple also created the new Mac mini desktop computer which uses a combination of highly recyclable aluminum and polycarbonate, and is only 6.5 by 6.5 by 2 inches, making it a fraction of the size of a typical desktop tower, which requires less packaging and allows more units to be transported at a time.

On the technology side of things, the new Mac mini uses an advanced power management system that allows it to use up to 45 percent less power at idle than its predecessor, making it the most energy-efficient desktop computer. According to the Apple website, “Mac mini meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR certification. In addition, Mac mini meets the latest efficiency requirements of ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Specification for Computers before its July 2009 effective date.”

Source:http://www.examiner.com/x-4443-Philadelphia-Green-Living-Examiner~y2009m3d15-Apples-new-green-computers
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Apple Touts 'Greenest Family Of Notebooks Ever'

Apple is proclaiming its latest line of MacBooks as "the greenest family of notebooks ever made." Could this set off another front in the 'I'm A Mac, I'm A PC' wars withMicrosoft and PC makers?

In the 30-second spot, Apple says that the redesigned MacBooks unveiled in October are free of mercury and other harmful toxins found in other PCs, and have cases made of recyclable aluminum and glass. MacBooks are also engineered to run on a quarter of the power of a single light bulb, Apple notes.

In addition to using mercury-free LED technology and arsenic-free glass, Apple, in an environmental update posted to its Web site, says it has removed brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and PVC from the MacBook as well as the Apple LED Cinema Display, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano and iPhone 3G.

Apple has been criticized for its stranglehold on hardware and software, but that's one of the reasons the company gives for being able to design MacBooks to use less electricity and earn Energy Star certification.

Apple appears to have improved its environmental image since last October, when Greenpeace issued a scathing report that claimed the iPhone contains hazardous chemicals in both its external and internal components.

It's unclear how many consumers actually based purchasing decisions on a vendor's environmental track record, but it can be an important part of convincing a customer to purchase a higher-end Apple machine, says Erick Laabs, vice president of The Mac Store, a Portland, Ore.-based Apple reseller.

"This type of marketing can help make it easier for a customer to justify an Apple notebook over a cheaper Windows-based PC," Laabs said.

It's possible that the green MacBook ads could be the beginning of a campaign to juxtapose Apple's progressive environmental policies with those of its plodding, backward competitors. It has been done before, with great effectiveness.

Greenpeace applauded Apple's elimination of some toxic materials in the latest MacBooks, but the environmental organization dropped Apple's ranking from 10th to 14th in its recently released December 2008 Guide To Greener Electronics.

Greenpeace asserts in the report that despite some companies' progress, the IT industry has a long way to go when it comes to being environmentally friendly.

Source:crn.com
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Green PC Wars: HP vs. Apple vs. Dell

When software giant Microsoft characterizes its environmental efforts as "still in the first inning," as its new Chief Environmental Strategist, Rob Bernard recently did, you know that the information technology industry (IT) has a long way to go towards becoming more sustainable.

Just think about the environmental cost of Google's famous cloud computing. Data center computers and servers alone used 61 million megawatt hours of electricity in 2006, according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Datacenter Report submitted to the U.S Congress last summer . That's at least 1.5% of all U.S. electricity and double the amount consumed in 2000.

To tackle energy consumption from personal computers (PCs), an industry partnership has been recently established. Intel, Google, Lenovo and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an environmental nonprofit that tends to partner with corporations, have launched the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. Goals include sharing green computing tips to consumers, along with a 50 percent efficiency target for future PCs which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year and save $5.5 billion in energy costs.

Today, however, there is still no widely understood standard for greener PCs. If you wander into Best Buy and ask a sales rep for the greenest personal computer, you are going to be met with a blank stare.

It is unreasonable to expect that most people have the patience to collect and wade through the environmental data before shopping for a new machine. Many enterprises now have an entire staff dedicated to tackling the energy use and electronic waste of their office computers and data servers. Yet resources and clear fact-sheets for environmentally-conscious PC customers are still relatively limited.

The EPA has attempted to solve this issue by funding a scheme, called the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), which ranks PCs on a tiered system similar to the LEED ratings for green buildings. Environmental attributes include Energy Star ratings, packaging and durability and electronic waste reductions. Although major purchasers such as the Federal government now mandate buying EPEAT-certified computers, good luck finding this information at your local retailer.

That isn't to say that PC firms are idling on the green messaging. Dell caused ripples in the IT world and green blogosphere when a May press release took a direct shot at rival HP's green credentials. HP's camp responded over a phone conversation with me that they let their long environmental track record speak for itself.

Nonetheless, GreenPeace's 'Guide to Greener Electronics,' suggests that neither firm is particularly green just yet.

In reality, while PC firms do seem to be tackling energy issues (at least in regards to the operating energy efficiencies of their products; most computer companies take no responsibility for the greenhouse gases emitted by third party vendors along their global manufacturing supply chains), they still need to reduce toxic components and improve their recycling programs. The EPA estimates that electronic waste accounts for two percent of the total municipal solid waste stream. Shockingly, there are more than 1,000 toxic chemicals used during electronics production. And PC companies have been reluctant to change their ways and take ownership of the solutions.

For example, Greenpeace was so stunned by Apple's refusal to eliminate toxic flame retardants, and polyvinyl chloride from its computers that it launched an entire online campaign called Green My Apple. Apple has finally responded with the "We were always green but we just weren't sharing it" argument, and has gone on to claim it is actually ahead of HP, Dell and Lenovo on many green metrics.

Clearly, the IT industry is just starting to figure out how to go green and communicate its efforts with its customers. Now is the time for consumers to ask tough questions to PC companies and their retailers. Dell, at least, has created a website to solicit feedback on these issues called IdeaStorm. As demand for greener computing grows, hopefully the green marketing confusion will subside and true sustainability innovators will be rewarded.

In the meantime, make sure that you properly recycle your old machines when you decide to upgrade. The EPA has put together a handy list of take-back options. Often, you can donate old electronics and actually get cash donated to a nonprofit of your choice.

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com
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Apple Introduces Free Recycling For Any Brand

Apple continues to do penance for its eco-sins with the launch of a new recycling scheme that will accept not only its own products, but those of rival PC brands as well. That's right; in the name of greenness, the age-old rift is no more.

How will this work? Apple is offering free recycling on items such as CPUs, iPods and mobile phones, both in-store and online; a freepost label is generated when the user fills out their details. Apple will pay for the shipping, with the one proviso that those taking advantage of the service must have already bought an Apple computer. Details on how to recycle your computer equipment are on Apple's.

How to recycle your computer equipment, get information from here
http://www.apple.com/environment/recycling/program/index.html

Source:hippyshopper.com
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Apple Introduces Free Recycling For Any Brand

Apple continues to do penance for its eco-sins with the launch of a new recycling scheme that will accept not only its own products, but those of rival PC brands as well. That's right; in the name of greenness, the age-old rift is no more.

How will this work? Apple is offering free recycling on items such as CPUs, iPods and mobile phones, both in-store and online; a freepost label is generated when the user fills out their details.

Apple will pay for the shipping, with the one proviso that those taking advantage of the service must have already bought an Apple computer. Details on how to recycle your computer equipment are on Apple's site.

Source:hippyshopper.com/2008/02/apple_introduce.html
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Tackling the E-Waste Problem

While interest in green IT is growing across the Asia-Pacific region, awareness is generally low and action is rare, according to Springboard Research's findings.

However, "leading companies, including Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Dell, Ericsson, Philips and Cisco Systems have joined a United Nations initiative that aims to standardize world policy and legislative approaches to electronic recycling processes," noted Chris Perrine, Springboard's chief operations officer and executive vice president of sales and marketing E-Mail Marketing Software - Free Trial.

"Dell has taken the lead in the area of Green IT as it is the only computer maker to offer consumers free recycling, whether or not they are buying a new Dell product," Perrine told TechNewsWorld.

Dell: Latest News about Dell plans on extending its recycling services to business customers in mainland China and Hong Kong. The company says it is on target to recover nearly 275 million pounds worth of used computers from customers by 2009.

HP: Latest News about Hewlett-Packard provides a recycling service for all IT products for a fee ranging from US$13 to $34, according to Perrine.

"In addition, HP customers who recycle old computers independently can get credit toward future HP purchases, which offset most of the recycling costs. HP aims to recycle as much as 1 billion pounds of hardware and supplies in 2007," he said.

Apple: Latest News about Apple has frequently been criticized for lagging behind in its environmental programs, Perrine noted. The company has a relatively low 36 percent score the Computer TakeBack Campaign -- an international effort by a coalition of 16 top environmental groups to address the growing problem of computer e-waste -- gave Apple for its disposal of computer equipment.

"However, Apple recently claimed that by 2010 it might be recycling significantly more than either Dell or HP, as a percentage of past sales weight

Src: http://www.ecommercetimes.com
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Bamboo PC is Environment Friendly and Looks Nice Too

Back in 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built the Apple I, an early personal computer that consisted of a circuit board in a simple wooden box.

Apple and other computer makers went on to make advanced PCs in metal and plastic casings, but now Taiwan's Asustek Computer is finding potential beauty--and sales--in an eco-friendly notebook PC encased in another natural material: bamboo.

The Asus Eco Book, as it's dubbed, has a case made of laminated bamboo strips available in different shades.

Harvesting bamboo, an abundant, flexible, durable, and fast-growing grass, is unlikely to harm the environment as processing wood from trees might, Asustek said, although glues and laminates for shaping and fortifying the material sometimes contain toxins.

The product is still in the prototype stage and engineers are checking to see if bamboo is suitable for laptops, which have to endure extreme conditions while allowing heat from microprocessors and monitors to escape.

The Eco Book is a new tack for a company that caters to executives and other high-end users with its calf leather-bound notebooks and faux alligator-skin models.

"Originally we came out with a leather model style-book," said Cher Chronis, director of marketing communication for Asus Computer International, the Taipei-based company's U.S. unit.

"It was very popular," she said. "After that, it was kind of natural for us to experiment with other types of materials, so we decided to go green."

Asustek says its leather notebooks have not been criticized by animal-rights activists and that the Eco Book is not meant to assuage critics.

Bamboo mice, keyboards
While just about all big computer makers are taking steps to make technology more environmentally friendly, Asustek is one of the first to unveil a bamboo-encased computer.

Some niche companies geared toward eco-conscious consumers offer bamboo computer mice, keyboards, and monitor frames.

"As part of a portfolio of case choices, it makes sense," said Roger Kay, president of PC market researcher Endpoint Technologies Associates.

"I don't think the computer is going to go over to wooden casing," Kay said. "It's ecological to grow it, but my sense is there's probably more show than substance to the claim of sustainable manufacturing."

While plastic casings often contain toxins like polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, the bigger environmental threats come from lead in cathode ray tube monitors.

All major manufacturers, such as Hewlett-Packard, the world's largest PC maker; Dell, the No. 2; Apple; as well as Asian rivals Lenovo Group and Acer; have programs to reduce energy consumption, recycle components, and reduce hazardous materials in computers.

Consumers and businesses are expected to buy about 260 million PCs this year, a 12 percent jump from 2006's level, according to market researcher IDC. Growth is being fueled by surging demand for notebook computers.

With so many computers being sold, and an estimated 500 million computers hitting obsolescence in the United States alone in the past 10 years, PC accessory makers are going green, too.

PVC-free
Laptop computer case and accessory maker Targus recently introduced its environmentally-friendly Grove laptop cases, made of recyclable plastics, nickel-free hardware, and PVC-free material.

Targus teamed up with Dell last month to sell its cases on the Texas-based computer maker's Web site and will donate a portion of its Dell-sold cases to Dell's "Plant a tree for me" program, which allows consumers to make donations to plant trees to offset the carbon impact of electricity for running their computers.

Dell and Lenovo plan to eliminate PVC and brominated flame retardants, or BFRs, another potential hazard, from their new products by 2009, and Dell requires its parts suppliers to meet environmental targets such as carbon-emission reductions.

Apple says it plans to eliminate the use of PVC and BFRs from all its products by the end of next year.

The major computer companies including Apple and Dell also have programs to recycle discarded PCs and monitors. By 2010, Apple expects to recycle 19 million pounds of so-called e-waste per year, or about 30 percent of the product weight it sold seven years earlier.

HP said it is on schedule to meet a goal of recycling 1 billion pounds of equipment and supplies by the end of this year.

Asustek, while small compared with HP, Dell, and other heavyweights, says its size enables it to design, manufacture, market, and distribute PCs on its own, allowing it to get new ideas like the bamboo PC to market faster.

"If it does get to the point where we do find a model that meets all the engineering requirements and allows green computing, we will release it," the company's Chronis said. "Everybody loves the Eco Book. It's a beautiful computer."

Story Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

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Survey: Apple users more likely to be Green Minded

Apple users are proportionally more eco-friendly than users of other vendors' PCs. Moreover, they're more willing to plunk down extra cash for green products.

That nugget of information is one of many findings in a report just released by Forrester Research titled "In Search Of Green Technology Consumers: Why Tech Marketers Should Target This Emerging Segment." Forrester surveyed computer users to determine the extent of their green leanings and what drove their environmentally conscientious practices (or lack thereof).

The report finds that, all told, 12 percent of U.S. adults are "bright green," which Forrester defines as those who are "concerned about the environment and global warming, and strongly agree that they would pay extra for consumer electronics that used less energy or came from a company that was environmentally friendly."

Moreover, another 41 percent of U.S. adults are "green consumers": those who "share concerns about environmental issues and global warming, but do not strongly agree that they would pay more for environmentally-friendly electronics."

The remaining 47 percent of the population "do not (yet) share the greens' concerns about the environment or global warming."

Forrester found that 14 percent of Apple users are bright green. From there, the list breaks down like this: 13 percent of Compaq consumers are bright green; then 12 percent of Gateway users; 11 percent of eMachines buyers; 10 percent of Dell fans; 9 percent of Toshiba users; 9 percent of IBM/Lenovo consumers; and 9 percent of consumers who buy their PCs from "Other" vendors. Below the "Other" category are HP users, 7 percent of whom are bright green. (The report notes that these numbers don't reflect the green practices of the companies themselves.)

Forrester notes that PC vendors are already making efforts to embrace more environmentally friendly practices and deliver greener products for several reasons: to appeal to consumers' ever-evolving eco-leanings; to deflect criticism from watchdog groups such as Greenpeace; and to adhere to regulations such as Europe's ROHS directive.

Those greener practices are taking several forms: designing products in a more conscientious manner; boosting system energy efficiency; cleaning up their manufacturing processes; using less wasteful packaging and transport methods; and making it easier for users to recycle their PCs.

Looking forward, Forrester predicts "that green-targeted PCs and other electronics will evolve as part of the consumer electronics industry's move to go beyond "beige box" design and styling and instead incorporate consumer style into its products."

Indeed, we've already starting seeing some of this since Forrester conducted its survey in Q2 of this year. Dell, for example, recently released a greened-up version of its Inspiron desktop. Everex is also focusing on the greenness of its recently unveiled TC2502 Green gPC, which runs on Linux.
Src: http://weblog.infoworld.com/sustainableit/archives/2007/12/apple_green_for.html
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Toshiba plants trees for greener PCs

There are a limited number of ways a computer firm can go green, and by far the most popular option is signing up to tree-planting schemes. And now, Toshiba has followed the likes of Dell and PC World, and given anyone buying a new laptop the chance to pay a sum of £1.18 to make their purchase a 'carbon zero' one. The trees planted to achieve this, they say, will be native broad-leafed trees, in a new developing woodland called Sand Martin Wood in Cumbria. To find out how to get your hands on a carbon zero computer, there's more info here.


Other computer firms have done to reduce their carbon footprints:

1) RM is focusing on electricity consumption to make its gadgets greener, and has developed a lower-energy PC called the EcoQuiet.

2) HP is tackling the green challenge from an employee perspective. In other words, your PC may consume a lot of energy when you get it home, but at least you'll know that workers in HP plants and offices are being encouraged to recycle and save energy as part of a 'carbon footprint challenge.'

3) IBM is taking quite a holistic approach to reducing its carbon emissions. It launched a billion dollar programme earlier in the year aimed at increasing energy efficiency at its data centres, as well as a separate green programme that looked at making improvements off-site.

4) Apple crawled back into Greenpeace's good books in the summer, when it was ranked as the 'most imrpoved' tech company this year in the organisation's guide to greener electronics. This reflects a lot of hard work by Steve Jobs et al in the Greener Apple pledge.

5) Dell remains the highest-ranked computer firm in the Greenpeace list.

Src: http://www.hippyshopper.com/2007/11/toshiba_plants.html
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