As the great Dale Cooper told us in Twin Peaks: “When two separate events occur simultaneously pertaining to the same object of inquiry, we must always pay strict attention”. So when both Apple and Canon present their acts of largesse in my inbox, I feel compelled to pass them on.
Today, Apple launched an updated “Apple and the Environment” website, providing a comprehensive report of Apple’s environmental impact and how the company is responding. You can check it out here if you feel so inclined.
Clearly, Apple wants to be seen to be taking care of business as far as its green credentials is concerned.
In their own words:
The results speak for themselves:
– by reducing our packaging over 40 per cent between 2006 and 2009, we now ship 50 per cent more boxes in each airline shipping container. That saves a 747 flight for every 3200 units we ship
– the current iMac is a perfect example of Apple’s energy efficient design philosophy. It delivers 30 percent decrease in energy consumption in idle mode compared with its predecessor. That results in an 18 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over a four-year period. The carbon emission savings on this iMac product transition alone is nearly equivalent to all the emissions generated by our facilities
– Apple is the only company in the industry whose entire desktop and notebook product lines meet the strict energy efficiency requirements set by the EPAs energy star program
So there you go. Make of that what you will. No doubt, Greenpeace will have something to say about this some time soon. Or perhaps Greenpeace has moved on. We shall see.
As far as Canon’s efforts go, its approach is a bit more grassroots, borrowing from the company’s “kyosei” policy of engaging with the community.
Canon announced a series of grants to environmental groups around Australia.
These include:
Spot a Shark (NSW) – identifies and tracks the migratory patterns of Grey Nurse Sharks and educates the public about the creatures.
Centre for Sustainability Leadership (VIC) – empowers young people to make their communities more sustainable.
SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnership (QLD) – a collaboration between stakeholders aiming to improve the health of waterways in South East Queensland.
Wetland Habitat Trust Paiwalla (SA) – aims to restore the Lower Murray wetland at Paiwalla to its former character by monitoring.
Baldivis Children’s Forest Inc. (WA) – provides educational opportunities for children and the wider community which promote biodiversity, conservation, sustainability, and Aboriginal cultural values and perspectives at Baldivis Children’s Forest.
Yeah, I know, I’m sure some of you out there figure this post was a waste of time. But here’s the way I see it. If nobody pays any attention when companies such as Apple and Canon act on their obligation to corporate citizenship, they might just be tempted to stop doing it. Or review the budget.
Those of you who think otherwise, let’s have them comments.