How Green is the iPad?

By Editor on April 18, 2012 in Infographic

Apple has sold 55 million iPad’s since they were introduced in 2010, which makes them the leader in the tablet market. Some of you might be reading this infographic on an iPad, but have you ever wondered how environmentally friendly your iPad is?

Feel free to embed the infographic on your blog using the embed code below:

<a href="http://sortable.com/blog/how-green-is-the-ipad/"><img width="600" height="4059" src="http://blog.sortable.com/files/2012/04/How-Green-is-the-iPad-600px.jpg" title="How green is the iPad" alt="Apple Environmental infographic"/></a><br /> <a href="http://sortable.com">Sortable</a> <a href=" http://sortable.com/blog/how-green-is-the-ipad">How Green is the </a><a href="http://sortable.com/find-tablets/Apple-tablets">iPad?</a>

Sources:

http://images.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/iPad_Product_Environmental_Report_2012.pdf
http://images.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/iPad_2_Environmental_Report.pdf
http://images.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/iPad_Environmental_Report.pdf
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/may/24/how-green-is-the-ipad
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/ieconomy-apples-ipad-and-the-human-costs-for-workers-in-china.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
http://images.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_SR_2012_Progress_Report.pdf
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/with-apples-new-ipad-supply-chain-is-the-hero/71382
http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/20/apples-project-dolphin-green-energy-facility-in-north-carolina-among-nations-biggest/
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2010/08/should_you_ditch_your_books_for_an_ereader.html
http://www.ipe.org.cn/Upload/Report-IT-V-Apple-II.pdf
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf
http://www.pushinggreen.com/news/how-green-is-the-ipad–14
http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/faq.htm
http://www.forbes.com/sites/connieguglielmo/2012/03/20/apple-may-sells-up-to-66-million-ipads-this-year/

6 Responses

Reinier Posted on Apr. 18th

You should do a comparison chart for other tablets. I don’t know how to characterize this information, I was always under the impression that Apple did its best to be environmentally friendly especially with the supervision of Al Gore on the board of directors.

Editor Posted on Apr. 18th

Apple is doing a good job, but they could always do better.

PC Posted on Apr. 18th

Somewhat biased graphic. What about taking into consideration the savings on trees, production of paper and books? There’s a whole demographic left out that counterbalances this. Reading ebooks instead of hard copies. Office work is being done and saved via cloud, cutting down on ink, paper, copy machines etc,. The savings in the music field. This graphic is interesting but woefully inadequate.

Medium Posted on Apr. 18th

Is that you, Mr. Jobs?

George Nixon Posted on Apr. 18th

While probably accurate, this infographic lacks context. I’m thinking in particular of how the iPad uses about 80% less power than a laptop or desktop. There’s almost nothing one can spend money on that won’t be bad for the planet in one way or another, the point is to recognise which things are worse than others so we can all make a reduction in our impact.

RI Waterman Posted on Apr. 18th

Very nicely done graphic but as others have said it is incomplete and some information is out of context (the classic “as compared to what?) and misleading. An example of misleading is the information on worker safety and hazardous materials and wastes follows the data center info. This gives the impression that the data centers are somehow connected to the issues and events regarding the waste products. Also you use the term Apple facilities regarding ?hazardous materials and storm water. Are these “Apple” facilities, owned, managed and operated by Apple? Or are they more likely contract manufacturers that Apple uses and are/may be used by other computer companies as well? and have the issues be addressed or not? Similar on worker safety issues.

Granted one could say that perhaps if Apple never made these products these incidents would not be connected to Apple but perhaps the companies owning and operating these facilities would have had more (or different) experiences and/or issues.

But I like the graphic.

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