iPhones will gain a new Clean Energy Charging option later this year as a part of an iOS 16 update, Apple said Monday.
The first-of-its-kind feature will strategically time when iPhones charge, using cleaner energy and thus reducing the devices’ carbon footprint.
Apple will start shipping repaired iPhone 12 units in environment-friendly packaging starting this week. Made from bleach-free paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the new brown box will replace the white boxes used so far.
Apple promises to eliminate the use of plastic in its packaging by 2025.
For the first time, Apple is putting certified recycled gold in the iPhone. It’s part of the company’s increased use of recycled content across its products. Because of these efforts, nearly 20% of all material used in Apple products in 2021 was recycled, a new high point for the company.
“As people around the world join in celebrating Earth Day, we are making real progress in our work to address the climate crisis and to one day make our products without taking anything from the earth,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, in a press release Tuesday.
Apple also added a new shredderbot that rips apart audio modules to its robot recycling crew.
Apple’s suppliers have more than doubled their use of clean power over the last year. There’s over 10 gigawatts operational today. In 2021, these projects avoided 13.9 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
And the iPhone-maker itself is investing in green energy projects.
Apple on Thursday unveiled a $200 million fund to back responsible forestry efforts around the world. The Restore Fund, launched with Conservation International and Apple Card partner Goldman Sachs, aims to remove at least 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year.
That would be equivalent to removing more than 200,000 passenger vehicles from the road.
Apple made it clear to executives that it won’t be enough to simply talk about protecting the environment. Starting in 2021, the amount of cash bonuses will be impacted by how well each executive lives up Apple’s values.
Apple has scooped up a first-of-its-kind prize for its environmental work in China.
The company was awarded the Green Supply Chain CITI Outstanding Brand title for “environmental leadership” across its entire supply chain. It’s a recognition of all the work Apple has done in the country.
Apple’s efforts to be the greenest company in tech continue with a major expansion to its global recycling programs.
It will be easier than ever for customers to send old iPhone units off for recycling. Apple is also opening a new Material Recovery Lab in Austin, Texas. The lab will use robots and machine learning to improve the company’s recycling processes.
It’s an incredibly big deal that Wednesday’s Gather Round keynote featured Lisa Jackson, Apple’s head of environmental initiatives.
The annual iPhone unveiling is Apple’s biggest product event of the year. Every single word and image is carefully calibrated to do one thing, and one thing only: sell as many of the new products as possible.
So why did Tim Cook turn over several precious minutes to Jackson to talk about renewable energy and recycling?
Just a glance at an iPad or Apple Watch shows how much aluminum Apple uses. The traditional method for producing this material creates greenhouse gases. Apple brought together a pair of companies to develop a greener aluminium smelting process that releases oxygen instead.
The metal will someday go into iPhones, Macs, and other devices to make them easier on the environment.
