We love Apple. Apple knows more about "clean" design than anybody, right? So why do Macs, iPods, iBooks and the rest of their product range contain hazardous substances that other companies have abandoned? A cutting edge company shouldn't be cutting lives short by exposing children in China and India to dangerous chemicals.
"apple fails to embrace the precautionary principle, withholds its full list of regulated substances, and provides no timelines for eliminating toxic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs)."
"It is disappointing to see Apple ranking so low in the overall guide. They are meant to be world leaders in design and marketing, they should also be world leaders in environmental innovation," said [Iza] Kruszewska, [Greenpeace International toxics campaigner].
You know I totally agree, and I feel like such a turd for loving my MacBook Pro when I see stuff like this. It's frustrating too because you know that Apple employees and consumers are the very people that know better. Seriously, how do we deal with this?
This test was taken in September 2006 so its a bit dated, since many of these companies have made newer products since then.
And one problem I have with this test is that it doesn't have any specifics about what products were tested. I can assume that it calculates the toxic levels of every product a company, or maybe they only tested one product.... There is no way to know what they did cause they don't say anything about it. So what is this test saying really? Its an interesting topic for sure I just wish it was more thourough and explained more about what they found.
I feel a little bit better after reading that stuff.
Another thing I'd like to mention is that you divert packaging from a landfill when you keep it because it's cool-looking.....so that's one thing they have going for them.
Apple is making moves in the right direction now and I would assume that all computer companies are. Its not like greener computer technology has been around that long so it takes a bit to impliment it. computers are totally toxic so that shouldn't be that big of a surprise to anyone.
I just read an article that Apple was changing their ways, but cpnorris is right - all computers & computer companies are dirty. I'm thinking MS and Dell are behind this Apple bashing. Trying to pop their iPhone balloon...
the bashing has been around for several years now. it always comes down to marketing. the young, the hip, the green, etc. tend to favor macs....you can't ague that the product sucks, so they have to argue an internal problem. green is hip- it's the perfect criticism.
i know all computer companies are dirty, but it's my understanding that dell, hp, and nec made the initial efforts to "do the right thing". treehugger has an interesting article. Unfortunately, it's hard to determine "the greenest company" because all there is no across-the-board comparison. "We use the least energy" or "We create the least waste". There isn't one clear winner.
I am certain that Apple will destroy the competition in green technology in their next generations of computers. It doesn't matter who did it first, it matters who does it best.
Apple didn't invent the mp3 player but they took over the market with the iPod, and I think it will be a similar story line with green technology. Just my opinion...
Well right now it doesn't really matter all that much because nobody makes a green computer. There have been minimal advances in green computer technology. Get a laptop with an LED screen I guess....thats about your only choice. If you want the greenest solution then use a pencil and paper. But a computer is toxic waste and thats just the way they have always been (and still are) made.
Slate & Chalk - doesn't get greener than that... I guess you could draw in the dirt with your finger or a stick though... Gehry would probably pee in the snow to create "organic" forms...
hahahaha! WhatToDo that was awesome. I want a urimate....would it be weird if a guy used a urimate?
I understand wanting to have a greener computer. We all would want one. But I don't feel that its something to base a decision on yet (emphasis on the "yet"), because the differences between the computers that are "greener" are so slight it doesn't even matter. Maybe in a few years when the technology is more developed it will make a difference, but for now just buy something you want and like.
And I second bryan4arch, that greenpeace thing is complete trash. It says absolutely nothing.
Adobe and Autodesk sell much more software for PC's than for Macs. I am not a fan of Mac or PC...I think Apple has gotten away with a lot that, if microsoft did it everyone would be raising hell, but since the packaging is nice, we look the other way. Mac lost me when they revoked the .mac accounts for life that was sold with the original G3's and colored iMacs...and much more.
You can go to a place like Colfax International that custom makes workstation level pc's that really are a ton cheaper for the equal apple box. A dual opteron pc with say 4 gigs of ram plus and all scsi for around 2400...the mac is not comparable for the price, you are paying a premium for branding.
I personally no longer have that kind of cash... .mac account is worthlessly priced now...there are much better options elsewhere...not to mention all there drm shenanigans...I like my mp3's to be mine, anywhere, thank you.
Don't buy a big name pc if you want a deal...they are cheap for a reason...build your own or go to a professional shop that will backup a custom box that is created specifically for what you need to do with it.
Oh, and Microsoft irritates me as well...I will be running XP for the foreseeable future, but all the programs I use work just fine on it...so it does not matter.
The koolaid is merely reference to the mac zealots thinking, and the mac branding, that assumes that apple is beyond reproach and is near infallible...all of which is a complete joke.
The BEOS was the best os...why someone did not make something special out of it, I have no idea.
laptop from scratch is overboard, but you can order a quality custom laptop for a better price than an apple or big name pc. If you're unfamiliar with specific components, just ask your technician, they can give you good recommendations based on exactly what you'll need. (i have an Asus M6n, its been running good for the last 3 years). example: powernotebooks.com, don't be fooled by the horrible layout of the website.
i agree with jason. you have to take ownership over your tools. i don't understand how ppl can be so thoughtless/careless with their machines...
the day will soon come when linux will be a viable option for architects.
aww....my birthplace. See good things come out of Jo-berg!
I need to do some major research. I actually like the Asus laptops, but I think building my own from scratch is wayyy to expensive!
nice lead DEV, I will check it out.
Jun 21, 07 9:48 pm ·
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mac - shame on you apple
We love Apple. Apple knows more about "clean" design than anybody, right? So why do Macs, iPods, iBooks and the rest of their product range contain hazardous substances that other companies have abandoned? A cutting edge company shouldn't be cutting lives short by exposing children in China and India to dangerous chemicals.
"apple fails to embrace the precautionary principle, withholds its full list of regulated substances, and provides no timelines for eliminating toxic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs)."
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/17372/
"It is disappointing to see Apple ranking so low in the overall guide. They are meant to be world leaders in design and marketing, they should also be world leaders in environmental innovation," said [Iza] Kruszewska, [Greenpeace International toxics campaigner].
I'm glad you posted this. In my search for a new laptop, i do have guilt in considering the macbook pro, knowing that Dell is "cleaner".
An interesting talk by William McDonough...
You know I totally agree, and I feel like such a turd for loving my MacBook Pro when I see stuff like this. It's frustrating too because you know that Apple employees and consumers are the very people that know better. Seriously, how do we deal with this?
This test was taken in September 2006 so its a bit dated, since many of these companies have made newer products since then.
And one problem I have with this test is that it doesn't have any specifics about what products were tested. I can assume that it calculates the toxic levels of every product a company, or maybe they only tested one product.... There is no way to know what they did cause they don't say anything about it. So what is this test saying really? Its an interesting topic for sure I just wish it was more thourough and explained more about what they found.
every product a company makes*
The study you cite came out a year ago. Since then, Apple has done a lot to improve their standing with respect to the environment.
See this:
http://www.apple.com/environment/
if i hadn't heard this a while ago, I would have argued that mac was the greenest company ever...simply based on image...I mean, wouldn't you assume?
I'm sure you guys have seen this spoof and are familiar with http://www.greenmyapple.com/
Apparently, Steve Jobs is doing something.
I feel a little bit better after reading that stuff.
Another thing I'd like to mention is that you divert packaging from a landfill when you keep it because it's cool-looking.....so that's one thing they have going for them.
That suprises me. I'd had a very green impression of apple, simply because they don't make those CRT monitors while everyone else still does.
Apple is making moves in the right direction now and I would assume that all computer companies are. Its not like greener computer technology has been around that long so it takes a bit to impliment it. computers are totally toxic so that shouldn't be that big of a surprise to anyone.
I just read an article that Apple was changing their ways, but cpnorris is right - all computers & computer companies are dirty. I'm thinking MS and Dell are behind this Apple bashing. Trying to pop their iPhone balloon...
the bashing has been around for several years now. it always comes down to marketing. the young, the hip, the green, etc. tend to favor macs....you can't ague that the product sucks, so they have to argue an internal problem. green is hip- it's the perfect criticism.
i know all computer companies are dirty, but it's my understanding that dell, hp, and nec made the initial efforts to "do the right thing".
treehugger has an interesting article. Unfortunately, it's hard to determine "the greenest company" because all there is no across-the-board comparison. "We use the least energy" or "We create the least waste". There isn't one clear winner.
I am certain that Apple will destroy the competition in green technology in their next generations of computers. It doesn't matter who did it first, it matters who does it best.
Apple didn't invent the mp3 player but they took over the market with the iPod, and I think it will be a similar story line with green technology. Just my opinion...
Drink the koolaid.
jason huh?
CP...the only reason that it matters who does it first is that I need to buy a computer and I would like a "green" (as it can be) one.
Well right now it doesn't really matter all that much because nobody makes a green computer. There have been minimal advances in green computer technology. Get a laptop with an LED screen I guess....thats about your only choice. If you want the greenest solution then use a pencil and paper. But a computer is toxic waste and thats just the way they have always been (and still are) made.
And I don't drink Koolaid
Slate & Chalk - doesn't get greener than that... I guess you could draw in the dirt with your finger or a stick though... Gehry would probably pee in the snow to create "organic" forms...
I'm a girl...I'd have to use a urimate for accuracy.
btw, I said "green as it can be"...I know it's all poison.
the greenpeace graphic above is an alarmist piece of chartjunk in the style of usa today.
hahahaha! WhatToDo that was awesome. I want a urimate....would it be weird if a guy used a urimate?
I understand wanting to have a greener computer. We all would want one. But I don't feel that its something to base a decision on yet (emphasis on the "yet"), because the differences between the computers that are "greener" are so slight it doesn't even matter. Maybe in a few years when the technology is more developed it will make a difference, but for now just buy something you want and like.
And I second bryan4arch, that greenpeace thing is complete trash. It says absolutely nothing.
yea drink the coolaid...
oh yeah!
oh yeah!!......wait, whats up with the koolaid?
whoa jasoncross, we burst thru the wall at the same time...
Adobe and Autodesk sell much more software for PC's than for Macs. I am not a fan of Mac or PC...I think Apple has gotten away with a lot that, if microsoft did it everyone would be raising hell, but since the packaging is nice, we look the other way. Mac lost me when they revoked the .mac accounts for life that was sold with the original G3's and colored iMacs...and much more.
You can go to a place like Colfax International that custom makes workstation level pc's that really are a ton cheaper for the equal apple box. A dual opteron pc with say 4 gigs of ram plus and all scsi for around 2400...the mac is not comparable for the price, you are paying a premium for branding.
I personally no longer have that kind of cash... .mac account is worthlessly priced now...there are much better options elsewhere...not to mention all there drm shenanigans...I like my mp3's to be mine, anywhere, thank you.
Don't buy a big name pc if you want a deal...they are cheap for a reason...build your own or go to a professional shop that will backup a custom box that is created specifically for what you need to do with it.
Oh, and Microsoft irritates me as well...I will be running XP for the foreseeable future, but all the programs I use work just fine on it...so it does not matter.
I built my own shuttle...which I LOVE...but can you build a laptop? If not, I am stuck picking the lessor of the evil, right?
ps. I still don't get the koolaid ref.....or do I.
quick google search for custom laptop.
The koolaid is merely reference to the mac zealots thinking, and the mac branding, that assumes that apple is beyond reproach and is near infallible...all of which is a complete joke.
The BEOS was the best os...why someone did not make something special out of it, I have no idea.
Apple killed Be, that is why...sniff.
you comments have been appreciated and a dell/apple representative will forward a response
I told you all that mac was bad but no one listened to me.
laptop from scratch is overboard, but you can order a quality custom laptop for a better price than an apple or big name pc. If you're unfamiliar with specific components, just ask your technician, they can give you good recommendations based on exactly what you'll need. (i have an Asus M6n, its been running good for the last 3 years). example: powernotebooks.com, don't be fooled by the horrible layout of the website.
i agree with jason. you have to take ownership over your tools. i don't understand how ppl can be so thoughtless/careless with their machines...
the day will soon come when linux will be a viable option for architects.
aww....my birthplace. See good things come out of Jo-berg!
I need to do some major research. I actually like the Asus laptops, but I think building my own from scratch is wayyy to expensive!
nice lead DEV, I will check it out.
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