Apple touts environmental progress ahead of Earth Day

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Renewable energy is one of many topics in Apple's 2023 Environmental Progress Report.
Renewable energy is one of many topics in Apple's 2023 Environmental Progress Report.
Photo: Apple

With Earth Day coming up on Saturday, Apple devoted the top of its website’s homepage Wednesday to the company’s 2023 Environmental Progress Report. It recaps recent press materials about carbon neutrality and recycling measures, but also goes into comprehensive detail about Apple’s longterm approach to climate change.

“Behind every product is a plan for the future” serves as the 114-page tome’s tagline.

Apple unveils 2023 Environmental Progress Report ahead of Earth Day

Apple has stated its intention to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The dedicated apple.com/environment webpage and underlying 2023 Environmental Progress Report strive to show efforts proceeding in that direction, as did last year’s report.

“In this year’s report, you’ll find the most detailed portrait yet of where we are today and where we’re headed,” Lisa Jackson wrote in the report’s introduction. She’s VP, Environment, Policy & Social Initiatives.

“Here’s the big picture: Since 2015, we’ve reduced our emissions by over 45 percent. We did it while reaching more Apple users than ever before,” she continued. “And, in doing so, we demonstrated that the choice between a thriving business and a thriving planet is a false one.”

Numerous initiatives

The report goes into depth on Apple’s recycling, device recovery, energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste reduction, chemical research and community action initiatives.

Some of these surface in recent press materials, such as those about the company’s increased use of recycled materials and decarbonizing production across the supply chain by 2030.

Breaking it down by product

The report looks at the big picture but also delves into each product's progress.
The report looks at the big picture but also delves into each product’s progress.
Photo: Apple

The report also contains individual product breakdowns describing environmental-impact factors like source material, manufacturing processes, packaging, shipping, device use and device recovery.

Those sub-reports cover current releases for iPhone, iPad, Mac, external display, Apple TV, HomePod and Apple Watch.

“This year, we’ve also made it easier to understand the carbon impact of your Apple devices, and the extraordinary steps we’re taking to reduce their emissions,” Jackson wrote. “In our Product Environment Reports, you can learn about recycled gold in your iPhone, the energy demands of your iPad, and the packaging around your Mac.”

“We’re transforming so many aspects of the way we make our technology, and with our Product Environment Reports, you’ll see where we’ve made progress and where the hard work remains,” she added.

Recycled material by product line

“In 2022, the average recycled content shipped in Apple products increased to 20 percent. We’ve approached the work material by material, component by component, starting by introducing recycled content in one product and then expanding across Apple’s product lines,” the report said.

See a breakdown of recycled materials by product line below.

This chart shows steadily increasing recycled materials by product line.
This chart shows steadily increasing recycled materials by product line.
Photo: Apple

“We share our progress — and our goals — because transparency and accountability are two sides of the same coin,” Jackson wrote. “We do the work and we show our work, because we want to be the ripple in the pond that creates a broader change. … Apple is on a journey — and we’ll share the road with as many people as we can. We hope you’ll join us.”

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