Apple continues to focus its way of manufacturing its devices on the environment and developing them in a sustainable manner. Last Friday, it released its 2021 Environmental Status Report, stepping up its focus on previously announced carbon neutrality targets across its entire manufacturing and distribution chain by 2030. Apple’s own operations have been carbon neutral since April 2020.
The 2021 report indicates that significant progress has been made to achieve this goal. According to the report, has been reduced and the environmental impact of its products over the past year and projects the progress Apple will have to achieve zero emissions by 2030 starting this year, establishing its environmental impact roadmap.
Achieving the goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 requires Apple to design products that use more recycled materials. This also has an impact on this products must be more efficient (Something we’re not going to complain about and already seeing in other devices besides the iPhone like the new MacBook with the M1 processor). This is all due to the fact that Apple intends to count how much carbon these devices extract over their useful lives, as well as what it costs to manufacture them for their emissions.
One of the most controversial and widely commented decisions Apple has made over the past year to move closer to carbon neutrality has been the eliminate the headsets that had always accompanied the iPhone in its box as well as the wall adapter, leaving only the terminal with the cable as the only items included in the sale. With this measure, Apple says it will prevent the extraction of 861,000 metric tons of copper, tin and zinc from the ground. By not including these items, Apple has also reduced the size of the iPhone’s packaging. This means that 70% more phones can fit on each shipping pallet, reducing the carbon footprint of transporting the devices.
Regarding assembly and supply chain, Apple has signed agreements with more than 110 industrial partners who are committed to the ecological transition and use 100% renewable energy in the manufacture of devices by 2030.
