Environment

AI seems to be changing everything. In some cases, that includes the climate ambitions tech companies had before AI arrived. Recent comments from Google’s CEO is evidence of that. Apple, meanwhile, is holding firm to its 2030 goals and has reiterated them in a new interview.

The latest version of Apple’s iPhone recycling robot no longer unscrews devices in order to access the innards; instead, it rips them apart.

The change is one of many that have seen the practicality of Apple’s recycling robots grow from something which took 12 minutes per phone – which the company admits was really just a research project – to 18 seconds …

Almost 100,000 iPhones which Apple paid a contractor to scrap were instead stolen and shipped off to China, according to an in-depth report.

Apple sued the company concerned, but now appears to have abandoned the lawsuit, with the report suggesting this is to avoid publicly admitting that it orders the shredding of perfectly usable devices, in stark contrast to the company’s environmental stance …

We’ve today received an update on Apple’s 2030 environmental goals, one of which is for the company’s entire supply-chain to be carbon neutral by that date.

The company says more than 320 suppliers – representing 95% of the company’s “direct” manufacturing spend – have made the transition to clean energy …

Apple trade-ins aren’t known for their generosity, but they do make for a very painless experience when upgrading to new devices – and the company will accept any older electronic devices for recycling if they have too little value for trade-in.

The company is currently linking to its trade-in and recycling page from the Apple homepage, in the run-up to this year’s Earth Day on April 22 …

Apple CEO Tim Cook attended the annual China Development Forum during his visit to the country, taking part in a climate change meeting during it.

Cook has said that meeting environmental goals requires “more innovation,” and that AI is an essential tool for this …

A new report has criticized Foxconn’s decarbonization credentials, rating the iPhone assembler at D-plus – the second lowest rating of any final assembly company. The rating is likely to focus attention on the feasibility of Apple’s environmental commitment to make its entire supply chain carbon-neutral by 2030.

Greenpeace issued its report just ahead of the upcoming United Nations COP 28 climate summit, which will review progress made toward the world’s collective climate goals …

Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, was today named one of the most influential climate leaders of 2023 by TIME. The executive joined other influential personalities on this year’s TIME100 Climate list.

Last month’s Apple event included the announcement of what the company claimed were two carbon-neutral Apple Watches, the Series 9 and Ultra 2. But that claim has today been rejected as “bogus” by the European consumer organization BEUC.

The European Union has proposed that it will in the future be illegal to claim that a product is carbon neutral when that claim relies on offsetting credits to balance out the actual greenhouse gas emissions involved in production …

Apple’s environmental claims have again come under the microscope, just a few weeks after Greenpeace criticized the company’s annual product cycles for driving carbon emissions.

While a new report also accuses Apple of exaggerating its environmental credentials, it does acknowledge that the Cupertino company is far ahead of its tech rivals …

Apple’s environmental credentials were front and center in the iPhone 15 event thanks to a lengthy and somewhat cringeworthy skit (making an unfunny video with Octavia Spencer is kind of an achievement in itself, but I guess that’s what happens when you commission a sketch during a writers’ strike).

A new piece says that the company’s actions and commitments put it way ahead of major rivals, but the elephant in the room is the annual product cycle for iPhones …

iOS 16 last year introduced a Clean Energy feature, which lets you set your iPhone to charge during times when your local energy grid is using carbon-neutral electricity. In iOS 17, a new Grid Forecast feature takes a first pass at expanding this capability to any device in your home.

Grid Forecast shows up in the Home app, and shows a prediction of when your energy provider will be generating electricity from carbon-neutral sources like solar and wind …

The third round of the Apple Impact Accelerator program – which provides a range of assistance to tech startups – has just been announced. Applications opened back in April.

This time, 12 business owned by Black and Brown entrepreneurs have been selected for an enviable level of support by Apple, including a 12-week training program, one-to-one mentorship, access to Apple experts across the business, networking opportunities, and the chance to become an Apple supplier …

Last year, we got a close look at the iPhone recycling robot Daisy. With over 2 billion iPhones sold worldwide, figuring out how to scale recycling smartphones efficiently is a major part of Apple’s plan to be carbon neutral by 2030. Now a new behind-the-scenes look at Daisy asks the question, “is this robot Apple’s most important device yet?”

Earlier this month, Apple shared an update on its progress to become carbon neutral by 2030 with some of the ways it’s being green and efficient with its corporate operations. Now ahead of Earth Day on April 22, Apple has shared its 2023 Environmental Progress Report that fully dives into how it did for 2022 and the path ahead as it moves toward carbon neutrality.

New Apple recycling targets have been set for batteries, magnets, and circuit boards, as the company works toward its 2030 environmental goal of making every product carbon-neutral.

Apple has an ambitious long-term goal to make all its products using only recycled and renewable materials, and today’s 2025 targets are a step toward this …

A new breed of wardrobe apps could help reduce fashion waste, by enabling people to make the most of the clothes they already own, swap clothing with people with similar tastes, and ensure that clothing is resold rather than sent to landfill.

The apps are part of a growing environmental movement against “fast fashion,” in which cheaply-made clothing is worn once or twice and then disposed of …

It’s been more than five years since plans were announced for an innovative Apple data center town heating plan. The idea was to harvest excess heat, and use it to help warm nearby homes.

That plan still hasn’t been implemented, but there is now much greater interest in the face of huge increases in energy costs …

One of Apple’s environmental goals was for its entire supply chain to be carbon-neutral by 2030. More than two years after the objective was announced, the company hints at being unhappy with progress, and has announced that it will now begin carrying out annual progress audits.

In an implied threat to suppliers that aren’t showing sufficient movement toward this goal, Apple said that it “will partner with suppliers that are working with urgency and making measurable progress toward decarbonization” …

It’s Earth Day today, an annual opportunity to demonstrate support for the environment, and to call for policies that help to protect our planet. As always, Apple is promoting the occasion with a prominent link on the apple.com homepage.

The company kicked things off earlier this month by announcing that it would donate $1 to the World Wildlife Fund for every Apple Pay transaction made in Apple Stores, through the Apple Store app, or on its website from April 14 to today …