how apple's clean design should also be green

September 27, 2006 7:39 AM

how apple's clean design should also be green
greenpeace exposes the dirty side of apple's "clean" design - perhaps yvonne chouinard could help apple clean up its act? via k10k.
posted by specialk420 (28 comments total)

And bring on the animated gifs!
posted by Astro Zombie at 7:41 AM on September 27, 2006

if i could i'd post an animated gif of a shift key being pressed.
posted by pardonyou? at 7:45 AM on September 27, 2006

Oh look, they have the same javascript. (as pointed out by Gruber.)
posted by bonaldi at 7:52 AM on September 27, 2006

Hasn't this long since been debunked as a poorly-conceived PR stunt, anyway? Or is there something new here?
posted by majick at 7:52 AM on September 27, 2006

posted by blue_beetle at 7:58 AM on September 27, 2006

ah my bad - repeat post. it would be nice to see some efforts within the apple site and apple stores to encourge consumers that buy all this junk to recycle it - rather than chuck their year old ipod batteries into the trash so they can be burned and end up as mercury in our lakes and streams - come on steve jobs... clean up your act.
posted by specialk420 at 7:58 AM on September 27, 2006

specialk420: apple recycling. take your iPod back to the store, you get 10% off a new one. free recycling of old batteries and computers as well.
posted by mrg at 8:06 AM on September 27, 2006

How about people taking it on themselves to act or not? Why is it the company's responsibility to do it? I think there has been enough recycling publicity to motivate people to do so.

Personal responsibility. I don't need to be told or "encouraged" by others to do things. Maybe more of the populous that I thought does need that "encouragement", but I would like to think not.
posted by disgustipated at 8:07 AM on September 27, 2006

than, even^...
posted by disgustipated at 8:08 AM on September 27, 2006

come on steve jobs... clean up your act.

Yeah, fuck other people for my actions!
posted by secret about box at 8:10 AM on September 27, 2006

"Toxic flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride"? I happen to think flame retardants (they are probably talking about bromine compounds in the printed circuit boards) are a big help when the batteries catch fire. Polyvinyl chloride is PVC and taking it out of computers just seems silly.
posted by jet_silver at 8:13 AM on September 27, 2006

how about some government leadership as well... if a 14 year old kid buys a toxin laden ipod ... its his responsibility to figure how how to keep the battery out of the waste stream?

uh no... sorry.. corporations and the government have their role in educating and providing the opportunities for consumers to do the right thing.

sorry guys.
posted by specialk420 at 8:14 AM on September 27, 2006

Nyc mefites: Electronics Recycling event in Brooklyn this Sunday 8am-2pm at Prospect Park. Bronx and Queens the following two Sundays.
posted by eddydamascene at 8:25 AM on September 27, 2006

Yvon - he's a dude
posted by Flashman at 8:31 AM on September 27, 2006

it's unclear why a company that manufactures expensive, sleek computers with a very good OS and more user friendly than the competition's is somehow supposed to have a Messianic role. maybe Apple is just a corporation like any other, only they tend to work better and make better products (I'm a Mac user who doesn't appreciate the Steve-is-God faction, sorry)
posted by matteo at 8:31 AM on September 27, 2006

why is it that everything green peace does makes me want to pour my used motor oil into the bay down the street?
posted by photoslob at 8:42 AM on September 27, 2006

i dont think it'll be long before apple gets on this. here's another way in which the computing industry as a whole could be more green:
posted by localhuman at 8:50 AM on September 27, 2006

uh no... sorry.. corporations and the government have their role in educating and providing the opportunities for consumers to do the right thing.

sorry guys.
posted by specialk420

Well, you be sure to let Steve Jobs know at your next meeting with him that Apple's enviro-program doesn't pass muster with you. Or, YOU could take the responsibility and go set up and administer the program. Although, it would appear that they have a pretty good program as it is.

Again, accept responsibility for your actions. If a 14 year old kid can buy an iPod, then their source of financial backing (probably the parents) are responsible in making sure that he doesn't kill off the city of Cupertino with his iPod (or "dirty bomb").

I love technology, I'm glad we have the awesome stuff we do have. I'm also all for doing our part to leave a good place for our kids and teaching them to do the same for theirs. But c'mon, let's not wait for the Government or corporate America to do it.

I'll teach my son about the important stuff. The opportunities are already there to recycle and care for our planet. If you're motivated, you'll do it. If you're not, I don't care how many celeb-studded ads you see, you won't.
posted by disgustipated at 8:50 AM on September 27, 2006

why is it that everything green peace does makes me want to pour my used motor oil into the bay down the street?

As someone who works on coastal environmental issues, sometimes I think that Greenpeace and similar organizations have done more harm than good because they have created a social stigma to environmental issues, and that makes those of us who are doing "real work" more likely to be ignored or taken with a grain of salt.
posted by nekton at 8:52 AM on September 27, 2006

I'm really glad that greenpeace is taking a stand on this and not waiting for the industry as a whole to get off their asses and do something
posted by Dr. Twist at 9:00 AM on September 27, 2006

Greenpeace and PETA annoy the living shit out of me. Any organization which takes such a morally-superior stance can bite my sack. Religious zealots of any kind, too.

It's not their mission I hate. It's THEM and their delivery.

Extremism, regardless of alliance, is still extremism.
posted by disgustipated at 9:09 AM on September 27, 2006

Indeed they should be beaten to death for their violence inspiring tomato stickers. This is an important issue. It should be taken seriously. It's not funny. Did I mention it's important? I too will think of the violence inspiring tomato stickers when I hear some animal rights wacko claim that PETA is non-violent.
posted by Wood at 9:45 AM on September 27, 2006

In my former Ph.D. program (environmental planning), a student from Taiwan had come to grad school because she was so inspired by how computer manufacturing was polluting many small communities there. It's easy for me to cry out "oh, this moralistic ad campaign is irritating me." Then again, my backyard isn't being polluted by computer manufacturing. (Oh wait, it is.)

Anyway, I thought the ads were kinda good-humored. Pro-business crowd here? What do you all have against letter writing campaigns?
posted by salvia at 9:48 AM on September 27, 2006

From the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition: "In 2004 in Maine, Apple hired a lobbyist named Dan Riley to oppose the state e-waste legislation supported by the Computer TakeBack Campaign which passed in spite of Apple's opposition (with the support of Hewlett Packard and Dell)."

SVTC again (2/05 newsletter): "The San Jose Mercury News, Apple’s hometown paper, has written... one [editorial piece] specifically on Apple’s failure to live up to its reputation as a responsible business." [Sorry, didn't have time to search the Merc's archives.]
posted by salvia at 9:53 AM on September 27, 2006

rather than chuck their year old ipod batteries into the trash so they can be burned and end up as mercury in our lakes and streams

iPod batteries can't be removed. Also, I don't think they have any mercury.
posted by delmoi at 10:08 AM on September 27, 2006

Anyway, I thought the ads were kinda good-humored. Pro-business crowd here? What do you all have against letter writing campaigns?

The problem is when they're based on faluty premises.
posted by delmoi at 10:10 AM on September 27, 2006

According the this article, Greenpeace is really lying about Apple, has apologized for their lies, and is basically distorting Apple's actions and position.

I am sympathetic with Greenpeace's desire for a clean environment, but I don't think lies are the way to go about it.
posted by MythMaker at 10:10 AM on September 27, 2006

Anyway, I thought the ads were kinda good-humored. Pro-business crowd here? What do you all have against letter writing campaigns?

For me, it's just about being personally responsible. Nothing else. I hate the idea that someone, who has the opportunity to (insert action here) chooses not to, but wants to blame (Democrats, Republicans, Girlfriend, etc.) for that choice. It's garbage.
posted by disgustipated at 10:30 AM on September 27, 2006