New MacBookPro from Apple with a good eye on the Environment

Cupertino, CA. February 25^th, 2011. February is always the month of news from Apple! After spending like crazy and getting the newest gadget for Christmas, here comes after 2 months a newer and better version of what you got so impatiently!

Voila’: the new MacBook Pro are out. They are faster, better, and more environmentally friendly. I am not getting into all the new specs of these new versions (Thunderbolt, Graphic etc.) but I am actually admiring the section that Apple has deliberately put online regarding the environment and how much CO2 is produced by each model.

First of all, congratulations for the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Energy Star qualification for the MacBook Pro low power consumption obtained. That is already a very good start. Secondly, lets enter more in detail about the energy savings of these new products:

(from the Apple Website)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY:

·      Efficient power supply.

MacBook Pro includes a highly efficient power supply that reduces the amount of power wasted when bringing electricity from the wall to your computer. Lower power consumption reduces energy bills and lessens the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

·      Advanced power management.

Unlike a lot of Windows-based PC systems, MacBook Pro uses energy-efficient hardware components that work hand in hand with the operating system to conserve power. Mac OS X activates sleep mode on already energy-efficient LED-backlit displays. And it balances tasks across both central processors and graphics processors. Mac OS X never misses a power-saving opportunity, no matter how small. It even regulates the processor between keystrokes, reducing power between the letters you type. That’s just one of many ways Apple manages small amounts of power that add up to big savings.

ENERGY STAR QUALIFICATION.

MacBook Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA in their ENERGY STAR 5.2 qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.2 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer’s typical annual power consumption.

ELIMINATING TOXIC SUBSTANCES:

The greatest environmental challenge facing the computer industry today is the presence of arsenic, brominated flame retardants (BFRs), mercury, phthalates, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in products. Apple engineers have worked hard to eliminate BFRs and PVC from MacBook Pro circuit boards, internal and external cables, connectors, insulators, adhesives, and more.1 And they’ve eliminated many other toxins that are a common part of notebook computer manufacturing — choosing, for example, mercury-free backlighting and arsenic-free glass for the MacBook Pro display.

REDUCED PACKAGING:

Every MacBook Pro comes in a smaller package than it used to — including our most popular model, the 13-inch, which ships in packaging that’s 41 percent smaller than the original. And smaller boxes are much better for the planet. Because smaller boxes mean we can fit more boxes on each shipping pallet. Which means more products will fit on each boat and plane. Which means fewer boats and planes are used, resulting in fewer CO2 emissions. It’s one seemingly minor change. But it has a major positive impact on our environment.

RECYCLABLE:

Recyclable materials.

Apple has minimized the waste when MacBook Pro reaches end of life through its ultraefficient design and the use of aluminum, which recyclers can reuse for other products.

Free recycling for your old computer.

If you live in the U.S., Apple offers a free recycling program for old computers and displays with the purchase of any new Mac.

Here are some information about the Apple Environmental plan: http://www.apple.com/environment/ 

EPEAT GOLD:

The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it’s designed and manufactured. Through its innovative and environmentally friendly design, MacBook Pro has earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold.

APPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT:

Apple’s life cycle analysis accounts for all emissions associated with our products. That includes raw material extraction, manufacturing, packaging, transportation, a three- or four-year period of use,3 and recycling. In the course of this analysis, we determined that more than 95 percent of Apple’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from the products we make.

If you want to see how much CO2 is produced by your (future) brand new MacBook Pro, here are the pdf with the Environmental specs.

13” MacBook Pro: Environmental Specs

15” MacBook Pro: Environmental Specs

17” MacBook Pro: Environmental Specs

Obviously the smaller the better. Congratulations anyway to Apple for taking care of the Environment and always be transparent on the energy and environmental issues of its products.