Apple’s not so green any more
ONE could take this as a storm in a teacup or one could take it as the destruction of a great iconic brand. But Apple’s computer kit is now officially not green. In fact it’s now so not green that it’s probably illegal for any part of the UK government to buy it:
The city authorities of San Francisco have banned departmental purchases of Apple hardware after Cupertino dropped out of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) green-standards scheme.
“We are disappointed that Apple chose to withdraw from EPEAT,” Melanie Nutter, director of San Francisco’s Department of Environment, told The Wall Street Journal, “and we hope that the city saying it will not buy Apple products will make Apple reconsider its participation.”
Now of course no one gives a shit what the loonies in San Francisco do. But having this EPEAT certification is a requirement for most government purchases around the industrial world: yes, including here in Britain. So, Apple withdrawing from the whole scheme should mean that the civil servants cannot have their iPads or their MacBooks.
The actual reason that Apple have withdrawn all of their kit from the scheme is that some of their stuff, notably the new laptops, cannot qualify. The regulations insist that a machine is easy to repair and to recycle. And given that Apple now glue their batteries in, so that you cannot replace one you have to scrap the entire machine if it fails, they just won’t ever get such a certificate.
So, what should they do in such circumstances? Redesign their machine?
No, of course not, this is Apple we’re talking about. They’ve taken their ball and gone home haven’t they?
As the most valuable company in the world you may well be able to do that. But it might not be the best way of staying the most valuable company in the world…..
Posted: 12th, July 2012 | In: Money, Technology Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
