UPDATE
April 21, 2017
Apple celebrates Earth Day with new initiatives and stories of innovation
Video Series Features Yaks, Breathing Buildings and Making Sweat
In celebration of Earth Day 2017, Apple has released a new video series featuring candid interviews with employees leading Apple’s efforts to address climate change, conserve resources and pioneer safer materials. Apple worked with artist James Blagden to create fun, animated videos that show Apple’s innovative approach — including why its scientists make one-half gallon of artificial sweat every day.
Apple Park is the world’s largest naturally ventilated building, projected to require no heating or air conditioning for nine months of the year.
Apple’s new headquarters is replacing 5 million square feet of asphalt and concrete with grassy fields and over 9,000 native, drought-resistant trees, and is powered by 100 percent renewable energy. With 17 megawatts of rooftop solar, Apple Park will run one of the largest on-site solar energy installations in the world.
New Earth Day Badge for Apple Watch
Apple’s new Earth Day Challenge encourages customers to get outside and enjoy the planet and complete a workout of at least 30 minutes. If they do so on Earth Day, they’ll receive a special achievement and unique stickers in the Messages app.
Apple Moves Forward on Environmental Priorities
Apple has announced it is now powering 96 percent of its operations with renewable energy in the company’s offices, retail stores, and product distribution centers. Apple is now 100 percent renewable in 24 countries, including all of its data centers.
Seven manufacturing suppliers have committed to powering their Apple production with 100 percent renewable energy by the end of next year, including three new manufacturers - Compal Electronics, Sunwoda Electronics and Biel Crystal Manufactory Ltd.
These important updates can be found in Apple’s 2017 Environmental Responsibility Report on the newly updated site apple.com/environment.
The report also highlights the latest information about Apple’s global forestry partnerships. This year, through its partnership with WWF in China, Apple has transitioned approximately 320,000 acres of forest in China toward Forest Stewardship Council certification. This advancement means, in just two years, the company has now reached its goal of protecting and creating enough sustainably managed forests to cover all its packaging needs.
Apple’s forestry work is just the beginning of its efforts to conserve the world’s precious resources. The company also announced the ambitious goal of creating a closed loop supply chain, where products are built using only renewable resources or recycled material.
That means encouraging more customers to recycle their old devices through Apple Renew and piloting new technologies, like Liam. While this goal will take years of collaboration across multiple teams and partners, Apple has already begun using aluminum enclosures Liam recovered from iPhone 6 to create Mac mini computers used in its supplier facilities, and 100 percent recycled tin for the solder on the main logic board for iPhone 6s.
Photos of Apple’s Environmental Initiatives