We’ve taken significant steps. With many more to come.
For more than 20 years, Apple has been working on ways to minimize the impact our company and our products have on the environment.
Our Progress
We’ve taken significant steps. With many more to come.
April 2015 We’re closer to powering 100 percent of our Apple Retail Stores with 100 percent renewable energy.
A key part of our fight against climate change is powering our facilities with renewable energy. We already hit a major milestone in 2014: 100 percent of the energy used by our U.S. operations — all corporate offices, retail stores, and data centers — was renewable energy. Now we’ve turned our focus to our more than 450 Apple Retail Stores across the world.
Reaching our goal of 100 percent renewable energy‑powered Apple Retail Stores worldwide presents some unique challenges. In many cases, an Apple Retail Store’s electric meter is in a landlord’s name, not ours. And many states and countries don’t offer the ability to directly purchase renewable energy, especially for small electricity loads. Despite these challenges, we’re already running more than 360 of our Apple Retail Stores worldwide on 100 percent renewable energy. This includes all 265 of our Apple Retail Stores in the United States, all 38 in the United Kingdom, all 14 in Germany, all 21 in Australia, all 15 in Italy, and all 11 in Spain.
For many of our retail stores, we purchase renewable energy from third‑party providers. Where local regulations don’t allow us to do so, we participate in utility green tariff programs, collaborate with landlords to purchase renewable energy on our behalf, or procure renewable energy certificates that meet demanding verification standards. And wherever possible, we source these renewables locally.
We won’t stop until every Apple Retail Store is powered by 100 percent renewable energy. And with initiatives like our solar project that will support all our Apple Retail Stores in China, we’re even closer to that goal.
Recent Environmental Highlights
2014
- Apple runs 100 percent of its U.S. offices, data centers, and retail stores with renewable energy.
- Apple designed iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPad Air 2 to be free of beryllium.
- Apple grew its Clean Water Program from 13 supplier facilities to 49, covering 59 billion gallons of freshwater usage per year — the equivalent of about 89,000 Olympic‑size swimming pools.
- Every Apple Retail Store in the world began taking back Apple products for free, environmentally responsible recycling.
- Apple enrolled 392 additional supplier facility managers in its Environment, Health, and Safety Academy. The academy now includes over 216 supplier sites representing 900,000 workers.
- Apple began construction on its micro‑hydro facility in Prineville, Oregon, and its solar plant in Yerington, Nevada, to provide renewable energy for its data centers.
2013
- Apple powers all its data centers, including a new facility in Reno, Nevada, with 100 percent renewable energy and reaches 94 percent renewable energy usage across its corporate campuses and data centers.
- Apple begins construction of its new Cupertino campus, which will be a model of energy efficiency and green building design.
- Apple launches the Clean Water Program pilot to increase water reuse and recycling at 13 water‑intensive supplier sites.
- Apple introduces the new Mac Pro, which uses 74 percent less aluminum and steel than its predecessor.
- Apple launches the Supplier Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Academy to expand the pool of qualified EHS managers in its supply chain.
- Apple completes its rollout of PVC‑free cables in China across all products.
2012
- Apple launches the redesigned iMac, which uses 68 percent less material and generates 67 percent fewer carbon emissions than earlier generations. In addition, the aluminum stand on the iMac is made using 30 percent recycled content.
- Apple rolls out a fuel cell installation powered by directed biogas and builds rooftop solar photovoltaic systems at its headquarters in Cupertino. Energy use at Apple headquarters is cut by over 30 percent at a time when occupancy increased by more than 12 percent.
- Apple introduces its redesigned AirPort Express with an enclosure containing bio‑based polymers derived from industrial‑grade rapeseed and post‑consumer recycled PC‑ABS plastic.
- Apple achieves 100 percent renewable energy use in corporate facilities in Austin, Texas; Elk Grove, California; Cork, Ireland; and Munich, Germany; at many sites in Australia; at the Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino; as well as at data centers in Newark, California; Maiden, North Carolina; and Prineville, Oregon. Among all Apple corporate facilities worldwide, 75 percent of the total energy used comes from renewable sources — a 114 percent increase since 2010.
- At the data center in Maiden, North Carolina, Apple completes construction and begins operation of the largest end user–owned solar array and the largest non‑utility fuel cell in the United States.
2011
- Apple commissions its data center in Maiden, North Carolina, and it earns the coveted LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
- Apple introduces new iTunes Gift Cards using 100 percent recyclable paper.
- Apple introduces the Mac App Store in 123 countries, providing customers with one‑click access to Mac software, including OS X Lion. Digital downloads dramatically reduce the environmental impact of delivering software by eliminating the packaging and transportation of boxed software. In addition, Apple eliminates restore DVDs previously included in Mac product packaging.
- Apple ships iPad 2, featuring the powerful yet power‑efficient dual‑core A5 system‑on‑a‑chip. iPad 2 is up to twice as fast as the original iPad, while still delivering up to 10 hours of battery life1 — all in a design that’s 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than its predecessor.
- All Apple products exceed the strict ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency. All products are at least twice as energy efficient as the ENERGY STAR specification, and Mac mini is up to six times more energy efficient.
2010
- All displays offered by Apple use mercury‑free LED backlight technology with arsenic‑free display glass.
- Apple introduces the Apple Battery Charger for rechargeable batteries. Using rechargeable batteries instead of disposable alkaline batteries reduces the battery waste by 78 percent and the carbon footprint by 63 percent over a four‑year period.2
- Apple introduces the new Mac mini, the world’s most energy‑efficient desktop computer. It can operate on just 10 watts of electricity, which is less power than a single energy‑efficient CFL lightbulb.
- Apple’s facilities in Cork, Ireland; Austin, Texas; and Sacramento, California, convert to using 100 percent renewable energy.
- PVC‑free cables ship with all iPod, iPhone, and iPad devices worldwide. PVC‑free cables ship with all notebook, Apple TV, Mac mini, iMac, and 27‑inch LED Cinema Display products in the U.S. and in other countries where agency approvals are granted.
2009
- Apple reveals complete life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions, setting a new standard of full environmental disclosure. While other companies report on a fraction of their emissions, Apple is the only company in the industry that publishes the environmental footprint of each of its products.
- The new Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro meet the ENERGY STAR 5.0 specification.
- All products ship BFR‑free and with mercury‑free LED‑backlit displays and arsenic‑free display glass.
- Apple introduces a new built‑in battery with the MacBook Pro family that lasts nearly three times longer than typical notebook batteries.
- Apple achieves a recycling rate of 66.4 percent (as a percentage of weight from 2003 sales).
2008
- Apple introduces the unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro, made with recyclable aluminum and glass enclosures with arsenic‑ and mercury‑free displays and BFR‑ and PVC‑free internal components.
- MacBook Air is the first Mac to use mercury‑free backlight technology with arsenic‑free LCD display glass.
- iPhone 3G ships with PVC‑free handset, headphones, and USB cables; BFR‑free printed circuit boards; and a mercury‑ and arsenic‑free display.
- Apple achieves a recycling rate of 41.9 percent (as a percentage of weight from 2002 sales).
2007
- First products with bromine‑free printed circuit board laminates are introduced.
- First MacBook Pro with mercury‑free LED‑backlit display is announced.
- Apple expands its employee commuter program to include fuel‑efficient biodiesel commuter coaches.
2006
- Apple is the first computer manufacturer to entirely replace CRT displays with material‑efficient and energy‑efficient LCDs.
2005
- The Apple Supplier Code of Conduct is implemented.
2004
- Investigation into BFR‑free and PVC‑free cable enclosures and printed circuit boards begins.
- Phaseout of substances included in the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive is initiated.
2003
- Supplier survey initiative on substance use is initiated.
2002
- Product take‑back solutions are implemented in the U.S. and Japan.
- Apple’s global Regulated Substances Specification is rolled out.
- Apple signs the European Union Code of Conduct on Power Supplies, which encourages manufacturers to design power supplies that minimize energy consumption in off mode.
- Apple becomes a founding member of the U.S. Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), which introduces energy efficiency requirements for the off mode of computer products.
2001
- Apple computers and displays first meet applicable ENERGY STAR requirements.
- Apple starts voluntary phaseout of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in all plastic enclosure parts greater than 25 grams.
- Apple begins purchasing 100 percent of the electricity for its Austin, Texas, facility from renewable sources by participating in Austin’s “Green Choice” Power Program.
2000
- All Apple manufacturing sites are ISO 14001 certified worldwide, signifying that Apple has a structured environmental management system (EMS) in place to manage the environmental impact of its operations.
Focus on toxins: Safe products and healthy work environments.
Eliminating the risks from toxic substances in the products we all use has always been a passion of ours, and today it is one of our top three environmental priorities here at Apple. We continue to lead the industry in this area, as we are committed to keeping both people and the environment healthy.
Our commitment to fighting climate change continues.
On Earth Day, we promised to keep you posted on our progress in reducing Apple’s environmental impact. Good data leads to good decisions, and we’re already using the data from this year’s report to inform the work that will fill the pages of next year’s.
A letter from Lisa Jackson.
At Apple, we believe innovation is about making things better. This simple idea drives us to take action in the face of the very real problem of climate change. We feel the responsibility to consider everything we do in order to reduce our impact on the environment.