City council won't buy Apple because it says it's not green
Because Apple refuses to apply for EPEAT green certification - and actually claims to exceed its criteria - a city council is boycotting its products and more may follow suit.
- Zach C. Cohen
- United States
- July 12, 2012
San Francisco's city government announced Tuesday it is no longer buying Apple desktops and laptops following Apple's decision to withdraw from a national green certification program.
Apple removed all 39 of its desktop and laptop computers from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool registry, a green certification program for computers, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Apple's latest laptop, the MacBook Pro, is not eligible for EPEAT certification because of its Retina display, which requires its battery be glued directly to the case. This makes it difficult to recycle, according to EPEAT CEO Robert Frisbee.
EPEAT is adjusting its standards to meet the changing realities of the tech industry, including adding new display standards for smartphones and tablets, EPEAT Director of Outreach and Communications Sarah O'Brien told USA TODAY.
"We do plan to develop a mobile device standard … That's the direction of the industry," O'Brien said.
The ban likely will not have a significant impact on Apple, San Francisco's chief information officer, Jon Walton, told the Journal. Only about 1% to 2% of the city's computers are Macs, he said.
The U.S. General Services Administration, which dictates which computers the federal government purchases, said Apple's decision to leave EPEAT won't greatly affect which computers it purchases.
"GSA recommends EPEAT, but at this time GSA doesn't require EPEAT for all contracts," GSA spokesman Dan Cruz told USA TODAY in an email.
However, other organizations are re-evaluating their relationship with Apple. University of California, Berkeley, and Cornell University said they are re-evaluating following the decision. About 10%-15% of of Apple's revenue comes from education organizations, according to the Journal.
Full Story: Apple drops environmental certification; S.F. drops Apple
Source: USA Today
Apple removed all 39 of its desktop and laptop computers from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool registry, a green certification program for computers, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Apple's latest laptop, the MacBook Pro, is not eligible for EPEAT certification because of its Retina display, which requires its battery be glued directly to the case. This makes it difficult to recycle, according to EPEAT CEO Robert Frisbee.
EPEAT is adjusting its standards to meet the changing realities of the tech industry, including adding new display standards for smartphones and tablets, EPEAT Director of Outreach and Communications Sarah O'Brien told USA TODAY.
"We do plan to develop a mobile device standard … That's the direction of the industry," O'Brien said.
The ban likely will not have a significant impact on Apple, San Francisco's chief information officer, Jon Walton, told the Journal. Only about 1% to 2% of the city's computers are Macs, he said.
The U.S. General Services Administration, which dictates which computers the federal government purchases, said Apple's decision to leave EPEAT won't greatly affect which computers it purchases.
"GSA recommends EPEAT, but at this time GSA doesn't require EPEAT for all contracts," GSA spokesman Dan Cruz told USA TODAY in an email.
However, other organizations are re-evaluating their relationship with Apple. University of California, Berkeley, and Cornell University said they are re-evaluating following the decision. About 10%-15% of of Apple's revenue comes from education organizations, according to the Journal.
Full Story: Apple drops environmental certification; S.F. drops Apple
Source: USA Today
