“Environmentalists are targeting the iPod, Apple Computer’s phenomenally successful digital music player, as a symbol of the growing problem of electronic waste. The Computer Take Back Campaign, an umbrella organization for dozens of environmental groups, is trying to force Apple to beef up its recycling program and to redesign the iPod, which has a battery that can wear out in just 18 months and is not easily replaced,” Joan Lowy reports for Scripps Howard News Service.
“Last month, protesters gathered outside the company’s Cupertino, Calif., headquarters carrying signs that read ‘from iPod to iWaste – toxic trash in your pocket;’ ‘take back your rotten Apples;’ and ‘Dell and HP do, why don’t you?’ Protesters also turned up at the company’s recent Macworld Expo in San Francisco. They have generated thousands of letters to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. And they are vowing to bring their complaints to shareholders at the company’s annual meeting in April,” Lowy reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We have iPods with much longer than 18 months use on them that have original batteries that are still going strong. Apple has a battery information page here which explains: Apple rechargeable batteries provide a better solution for both your pocketbook and the planet. For instance, if your iPod were powered by 4-AA Alkaline batteries and you used one pack per week (which is conservative), after two years you would have spent over $200 (buying in bulk) and piled up 400 dead batteries for your local recycling center.
the environmentalists are just a bunch of whiners. rebel without a cause/clue.
magic word: next
as in next story please.
environmentalists are just plain stupid sometimes.
oh Pleez….
While I think environmental waste is a snowballing issue, I hardly think spending time protesting apple (3% of market in computers, remember?) is an honest effort by this group. They are merely riding on the phenomenal success of the iPod to deliver their message.
They should focus on something more relevant like PCB’s and Nuclear waste.
brought to you by “Total”, as in almost a total waste of their time.
My dear, the best for the environment is: less human beings ..
Perhaps the iPod does help to produce less of them.
I think there is always room for improvement. Perhaps Apple can take a look at environmental concerns. I think the fact they’ve improved battery life is a sign they are working on these concerns.
I think moving to digital distribution of music helps the environment. We are not creating all these plastic CDs with jewel cases and then shrink wrap. Add to that the waste to produce all those items and the toll on the environment to ship all those CDs – polution from trucks to more packaging to box them all.
Considering 36% of the world’s Carbon Dioxide emissions come from the United States, with only 5% of the world’s population, I would have thought these groups had bigger problems than iPods to worry about.
After all, on those super scorching hot days of 2015, when the smog and extreme heat battle it out for who kills the most in an hour, you may as well have a choice of tunes to listen to, eh!
I have an original 5gig iPod with an original battery that is still working well. So this electronic waste thing is just trying to target a popular product and make Apple look bad. iPods last longer than 18 months unless your driving your car over them or something.
Although I do share the environmentalist concerns, I believe that they are only targeting Apple because Apple happens to have the hot commodity right now. The success of the iPod gives them a larger audience. When someone wants to picket, they want the largest audience possible. That’s why they aren’t going after Dell’s Jukebox or one of the hundred other iPod knockoffs.
My magic word: works. As in, “Gee, my iPod works so much better than that crappy Dell Junkbox.”
I would guess that close to 70% of the iPod’s components are made from recyclable materials.
Are these the same “Environmentalists” that say we should be using electric cars and not burning through fossil fuels?
Maybe they have nothing better to do since neither Nader nor Kerry are in office. (sarcasm)
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This whole article is old news. Especially about the guys iPod. You can now get an iPod better than original replacement battery for $39 including a kit to help you take it apart and instructions on how to do so. Since the iPod is using a rechargable battery they should go pick on the makers of MP3 players who use standard AA or AAA batteries. They cause more hazardous waste then the Apple iPod.
That’s because environmentalists are extreme nuts.
Apple should make the POD’s batteries replacable by consumers, but people should realize that the amount of plastic that is saved by using an iPod is significant.
Computer waste is a real problem. Electronics contain heavy metals and toxic stuff. Some computer companies like Dell have recycling programs where you can bring your old PCs and they dispose of it properly (I hope). I wish Apple had something similar. BTW, calling environmentalists whiners shows you are really unaware of environmental problems. Just learn a little about it and you’ll have more respect.
Those tree-huggers just latch on to the company du jour for free publicity.
well.. it’s annoying since this is how they get press… beating up on Apple..
it’s only annoying because they assume the most popular product is all sizzle, no steak.. so to speak..
The iPod is, absolutely, more economical and environmentally friendly.. and it’s also the cheapest when you factor in battery costs (Uhm, yes they cost ALOT of money)
I’ll kick the ass of any tree-hunging pussy that gets in the way of my ipod!
I am all for taking care of the environment but frankly there are much more important issues these people should be spending their time and effort on. They should be protesting George W. Bush. He has been much worse for the environment than any iPod.
Okay, it’s totally silly to blash environmentalists for their efforts in this sector. The rechargeable batteries found in iPods, cell phones, etc, are *very* harmful to the environment. They should never find their way to landfills.
Places like Radio Shack will take and properly dispose of old cell phone batteries.
I would love to see Apple adopt a similar policy, for their entire hardware catalog. It would be great if I could bring an old Apple product to the Apple store and know that they would either dispose of it in an environmentally conscious way, or put it in the hands of somebody who could get some use out of it.
I don’t think any environmentalist is suggesting Apple stop selling iPods–only that they have a strategy for the device’s eventual end of life.
Hmmm. Perhaps they should read Tom’s Harwarde regarding the power consumption of the Mac mini compared to a typical PC (Dell anyone ?). 28W versus 160W.
There’s no doubt that Apple could do more in terms of being environmentally friendly. But Apple is probably not a especially bad case.
There’s also no doubt that environmental concerns should be raised, but these guys would do better protesting about barely acknowledging Kyoto rather than having a dig at the iPod.
They should be targetting the manufacturers of motorised lollipops (spin pops). Now THAT’s a waste of a good battery.
How ironic. I thought you Mac pansies were all liberal environ-mental-ists, and now the real enviro-nazis are after you. That’s so funny.
Oh puleeze. THe environment is in the best shape it’s been in years… and that includes 4 years of George Bush. Environmentalists won’t be happy until the economy is destroyed to “protect our mother earth” and we’re all living in caves.
The problem with environmentalists is they have no pratical requests and are all DOOM AND GLOOM all the time.
Perhaps environmentalists should stop spewing their hot air all the time and save the earth from all the CO2 coming from their mouths.
Seems that everyone just wana make Apple the whipping boy.
If they wana do something right, they should go n target Dull computers! People who buy PCs usually change their machines on the aveage of 18 to 24 months. Do your sums and those Dull machines have more electronic waste per year than the entire life of all iPods added together.
And if you think that Dull’s got a good recycling programme, you’re soooo wrong! After you pay them $20 to haul your machines away, they ship everything to 3rd world country n sell them off as used goods. And those parts that can’t be used are not Dull’s problem after that.
Obviously, they are picketing Apple because it is near to where they live. The great gray gay Bay we call it.
“How ironic. I thought you Mac pansies were all liberal environ-mental-ists, and now the real enviro-nazis are after you. That’s so funny.”
This kind of political generalization seems out of place here. The Computer Take Back Campaign is targeting the product and the concept rather than any particular group of users.
You’ve also shown your ignorance about the iPod’s customer base since it has been clearly stated numerous times that the vast majority of iPod owners actually use Windows.
BSOD: Spoken like a true Mac pansy. You are such a pathetic Mac homer! I don’t know why you even bother to post your bullshit – “…majority of iPod owners actually use Windows…” – yeah, right, Einstein. Did you just make that up or what?
Someone on this planet had thrown away an iPod? I-AM-ASTONISHED!
All you tree-hugging, man-pudding-gobbling Mac throat-sausage-lovers will wake up someday, forget about hairy man ass and discover Windows XP goodness and the pleasure of a real woman. If you’re lucky.
Amen, ron. Amen.
I sent a note off to the svtc stating that everyone that needs to replace a battery knows that it can be. In additon I pointed out that the iPod has helped to drive the iTunes service which has sold over 250 million songs to date. (est.) At 10 songs an album that is 25 million jewel cases and discs that didn’t have to be manufactured to say nothing of the liner notes. (which I miss so could you please include those with the download Apple). The iPod and devices like it are a huge BENEFIT to the environment so I asked them to please change their position on this rather than give environmentalism a bad name.
Mac fags’ number one problem? Drinking too much baby batter. Lay off the Man Goo, stop huggin trees and driving volvos and voting for Dean. Forget about “cool” case designs and get a real computer with a real GHz number and real expansion options and a real operating system: Windows XP Professional.
Let me get this strait, they are protesting a product that uses (and ONLY uses) rechargeable batteries?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!
Hey, how about protesting the thousand or so other music devices that can be bought at the local drug store that uses AA and AAA batteries?
Dell has got to be secretly behind this one.
<sarcasm>
Seems like we can always count on ron, Ben, lisa, and NoMacForYou to raise the level of the discussion with their insightful comments. Thanks.
</sarcasm>
Conservatives for years have been telling us that global warming is a sham – and this year will be the hottest year globally ON RECORD. (not to mention shitloads of evidence of this happening, from Greenland ice caps to Antarctica’s) It’s plain to see that conservatives care only about their own interests, and lack the ability to consider long term investments. Yep that’s a conservative for ya these days – Fuck the environment, let’s make money. Is it because the religious right thinks the end times are near so who even cares about mother earth?
As far as these idiots protesting Apple, well, they need to be putting their efforts elsewhere. Apple’s iPod is the least of their worries. Sounds to me like they just want some of the attention that the iPod has been recieveing. The ironic aspect is that thier stupidity is empowering the assholes that don’t care about the Earth – the Neo Cons.
And the 1,000 CDs & Jewel cases each iPod potentially eliminates from production is, by volume, a FAAAAAR bigger waste!
These people are morons, easily incited by special interest group hiding in the background. Just think how many CDs all the iPod can save given all the songs are sold and stored on the HDD instead of CDs. These stupid ” environmentalists” don’t think, their brains should be treated as human toxic waste!!!!!
Hey NoMacForYou,go get a life instead of stocking a web site that you hate. Go give Bill a b#ow job or something!
Hey, botox. That’s not what your mom said while she was giving me a BJ.
That last post wasn’t from me. I’d never let your nasty mom give me a BJ.
fish in sucker!!! Ha Ha Ha!
It’s trendy to dump on environmentalists… the selfish jerks!
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” /> Thank you, George, for making hate so popular again.
It’s amusing to read the bashing by people who haven’t put any thought into these things at all. The world must be a simple place for you
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
iPods WILL be a problem–one of many. They aren’t yet because they aren’t being thrown out in large numbers yet. And looking ahead to that, using a popular product as an example, is a good way to bring REAL issues to attention that they do need.
This isn’t “Apple bashing,” this is Apple’s turn to get attention about something that will become important.
The truth is, you can have your lifestyle AND be environmentally aware. But people don’t want to hear that.
Wonder how many trees it took to send those letters…
Wonder how much gas it took to assemble at Apple…
Wonder if they cleaned up their stuff…
Environmentalists have a way of being hypocrites.
And let us not forget that macs have a longer lifespan than most PC…
Less change over means less materials ending up in a land fill. Durability is part of the sustainable equation.
That said, i too would like to see apple implement a recycling plan at it’s stores….
So mature, there are 10 millions iPods out there. There are also over 10 Billion computers out there with bigger HDDs. Which one is the Bigger problem? iPod can potentially save billions of non-recyclable CDs, did it ever occur to you ?
Five points :
1. Rechargeable batteries are of course much more ecological than disposable batteries.
2. it makes no sense to compare batteries to CDs since you might play your CDs on a portable CD Player which… use batteries as well.
It makes sense to compare CDs to hard-drives or flash-memories.
3. By the way, a rechargeable battery is likely much more toxic than even 1000 CDs
4. Apple is not providing a way to recycle their products.
5. Apple is not (unlike e.g. Sony) using substitution substances to several well-known hazardous substances (e.g. Brominated Flame Retardants). However, they said that they are going to phase out those substances in their products but they didn’t say which ones and when.
Those Enviro whimps just want attention. This is such secondary s*** compared to the outright rape of the environment the Bush Administration is allowing. So we got some more silicon chips and logic boards in the trash. That is much better than chopping down trees anyday. Those people should focus on getting the US to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Next they’ll be complaining that humans poop too much.
It’s 10-12% installed base.
When will these idiots realize marketshare is not the same as installed base. Geez….
How about an iPod trade-in program at Apple. Trade-in your iPod and receive 10% off the purchase of a new iPod. This would allow Apple to properly receycle the iPods and give the consumer a nice bonus for doing so. Apple takes active responsibility and the enviromentalists look like fools for complaining. It’s a win win situation all around. The enviromentalists need to stop whining and provide real solutions, if they are really concerned. If they provide no solution then they are worst part of America, complaining in order to get their 15 minutes of fame.
All the iPods currently in use could be stacked in a 50 foot by 60 foot, two story warehouse. *THIS* is a global environmental problem? All these protest groups should form an umbrella group so that we can easily catalog all of their concerns in one location. I’d suggest an acronym for the new group; S.W.I.N.E. (Socialists Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything).
As for Ben and the rest of the MS apologists, your ad hominem attacks say much more about you than they do about your opponents. If you want to be taken seriously you need to get beyond high school locker room posturing and pointless name calling.
Zeke,
You’re going to have to use smaller words to get your point across to the like of me and Ben.
Oh, and you are a pole-smoking Mac zealot who doesn’t know shit about shit. Suck my balls, eh?
Some thoughts:
What was the number of Sony Walkmans purchased over the years? How many have been thrown into the trash?
How many Dull/Creative Junkboxes have been purchased and trashed?
>>>>>>APPLE DOES HAVE A RECYCLING PROGRAM<<<<<<
Do a search of Apple’s Website; they have links to a program for recycling just about any computer or related piece. (Yes, the information does seem to be buried in the depths of the site. It also cost about $30 per box of materials). Don’t know if the company that handles it ships it overseas, but I would hope that Apple has checked them out if they are going to partner with them on this.
If the iPod is such a problem due to its vast number, how about all the material and waste from the billions of copies of Windows that go out. Where is all that material ending up? (97% of the market, huh?)
I didn’t read every comment above, but I didn’t see any that was pro-environment. Sorry kids, but your elecro-gizmos use alot of resources to create and contain heavy metals and other toxins.
Apple should try to recover old and broken machines. Considering their margins, it should be free to give your old or broken system to you local Apple store for recycling. Apple could give usable machines to third-world countries to educate their children and maybe have a chance at a future.
I pay to recycle my elecronics because I care. I sell what I can so I don’t have to throw more in a landfill. My highly-educated wife had to teach me these things I’m ashamed to say, but I hope maybe one of you will change your habits and recycle too.
With Apple becoming suddenly a big global player again, I think there will be increasing pressure for them to be more environmental. Don’t appologize for them. Demand environmental excellence just like you demand design excellence! Apple CAN do it. Of course they can.
Hey, what about Apple’s wireless keyboard and mouse – they take 4 and 2 AA batteries respectively. So, I went out and bought a recharger set which will hopefully save me buying and trashing a few hundred batteries over the life of the product.
Computer companies are bad, but what about these industries for waste:
– household white goods (fridges, washing machines etc) – this stuff used to last 40 years, now you’re lucky to get over 10. Why?
– cars, both manufacture and usage (oil etc)
– home electronics such as hi-fi. What are we up to now? Surround sound at 9.2 (vs the original 5.1 surround sound or even stereo) I am finding that I almost have to throw our my amp every 3 years just to keep up (not that I do replace so often, but good quality amps used to last 15-20 years, at least)
– food packaging/supermarkets. Gone are brown paper bags for the most part, replaced with plastic which takes a million years to break down. What about the product packaging itself? Why can’t I bring my orange juice container from last time in and get it refilled? Glass Milk bottles anyone? We’re not only accumulating trash, but we’re killing ourselves with the plastics leaching. Ever tasted Coca-Cola from a glass bottle vs a plastic/aluminium container? Mmmm, is that what Coke really tastes like? Maybe I’ll switch to Pepsi…
So, these hippies can go !@#$ themselves if they think Apple are responsible for the huge amount of waste generated generated. They are a very small part of a much larger problem. I’d rather see them picket white goods, or supermarkets, which affect nearly everyone, not 20% of the population.
By the way, there is no doubt at all that mandatory recycling will have to take place in every industry. The sooner the better.
I like recycling. In fact, my husband and his buddies recycle my ass almost every night.
Hey Daddy Steve,
The iPod is a much better target than the thousands of other portable players out there for a reason. Its the only player that is actually selling. Not that I agree with the enviro-nazis.
Here’s the email I sent Joan Lowy-
Dear Joan Lowy-
With reference to the article in the link that follows, please have all of your information prior to publishing such crap.
<http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/5009>
I have had a refurbished 10gig iPod for over 18 months and have not had a noticeable drop in battery life. Besides that, there are very inexpensive battery replacements available that make the iPod the extreme opposite of what you portray it to be. It is one of the most environmentally responsible MP3 players on the market. A replacement battery can be had for less than $30. How long will any HD based MP3 player last with $30 worth of AA or AAA batteries? As Napster pointed out-do the math-again! Feel free to respond if you have better information than what is in these links-
<http://www.apple.com/batteries>
<http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipods.html>
<http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/Search.cfm?Column=Description2&Criteria=ipod+battery&x=18&y=8&Manufacturer;=>
<http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/item/6859/NWTBIPOD1800M12>
<http://www.ipodbattery.com>
Gary Vogt
thevogt@mac.com
gvogtrodeo@aol.com
gvogt@tampabay.rr.com
(one is sure to find me)
Environmentalists won’t be happy until we are all living in caves or trees, becoming vegitarian, growing all our own food organically, walking everywhere we go and practicing sub zero population growth.
They could all help with the population growth thing by killing themselves but then others of their kind would come along and complain about the smell.
G-Spank,
Several times over the last 60,000 years there has been over a mile thick ice sheet that has covered about two thirds of North America, most of Europe and the northern half of Asia.
Each time it happened the earth warmed up enough to melt most of it away.
Each time that vast melting happened there wasn’t an internal combustion engine, gas or coal fired power plant or wood, coal, oil, or gas home heating furnace in existance. Something warmed the earth and it wasn’t us.
We have a damn good reason to be skeptical.
Hey, Al, you !@#$ monkey! Levels of CO2 were once much higher than they are now. It’s not how warm, but how _fast_ it gets warm. It has never gotten so warm so fast as in the last 100 years. So fast, in fact, that NOTHING other than extreme Ozone Hole and increased greenhouse gases, many of which can only be produced by industrial waste, can be the reason. Read the scientific journals, not the political propoganda!
AI, at what point will people like you realize that using science to help limit the impact of our race will be helpful to our survival. I fail to see the downside to setting our sites a little higher in this regard. Yet, the conservatives, and particularly the religious right seems to value making a quick buck at the expense of pollution higher than than creating a world where we respect the planet we live on. You are clearly in this mindset. It boggles my mind that people need to see a massive disaster as a reason to treat nature with the respect it deserves.
There are more phones than pods out there.
—the best for the environment is: less human beings [Harry].
Yes, yes, yes! Go protest to the vatican where the debate on condoms still rages, as does AIDS. Think of the resources used up by an individual in their lifetime: clothing, food, housing, transport, energy…. Think of the degradation of land and decimation of species by encroaching civilization…. Comparatively speaking, the impact of the iPod is negligible. Someone better port one of the millions of Windows viruses over to humans.
Hey, G-Spank:
Stop your anti-religious bigotry. I’m personally not even religious, but your prejudice is disgusting. If you don’t agree with someone, just argue the facts, don’t generalize about the motives of a whole class of people that you clearly don’t understand at all.
RT, you clueless dolt, there’s a big difference between the “religious right” that G-Spank refers to and religion. A big difference.
Grow a skin and learn how to use your brain. Raw emotion only gets you so far, imbecile.
Hmm … religious right … an oxymoron with a pun wrapper rolled up into a generalization.
Well, after reading all the above comments it seems that maybe the protesters achieved their goal of raising awareness concerning the environment. We certainly have been talking about little else for this entire thread. I think maybe I can see why they chose the iPod to protest now.
I consider my post pro-environment. I just believe if you’re going to tackle a problem, it may as well be the biggest threat rather than one that is equivalent to pissing in the wind.
Recent research is showing that global warming is now accelerating, not because the amount of CO2 is increasing massively, but because we’ve cleaned up our act with regards to visible air pollution. Those great big smoky clouds we used to pile out were reflecting a lot of sunlight back into space, masking the true effects of the CO2 rise. So now we need to tackle the other half of the problem fast.
Last time there was a 5% average rise in global temperature, 90% of all species died out. I don’t want people three or four generations down the line going hungry because I didn’t do my bit now. It doesn’t take much effort from each of us for the combined effect to be enormous. Buy a more fuel efficient car (or a motorbike), use less electricity hungry appliances (e.g. Mac mini only uses 29W), and recycle. It isn’t going to cost you the Earth, but it may stop us all doing just that.
BTW, I meant 5 degrees on that post, just couldn’t find the right symbol.
Dave H:
The degrees symbol can be created by typing “°” or “°”
3°
(°)(°)
The issue here is poison chemicals leaking from an iPod battery in a landfill, getting into the rivers and the water table, and coming out of your faucet. This is about people hugging, and unless you all enjoy drinking poison, reducing the amount that gets into your glass is a good thing to do.
There is a good way to go about environmentalism, that involves reason, good science, common sense, and concern for all inhabitants of the planet including people. There are also 1000 bad ways to go about environmentalism, which is why it frequently gets a bad name.
Apple is one of the most benevolent corporations currently, and tends to care a great deal about the environment. When an environmental testing group was begging various computer companies to let it test them on environmental standards of computer waste handling, the other computer companies refused. Apple, who was not asked, volunteered for the test!
Apple uses the best technology available at the time. The iPods are not priced to be disposable, but rather are a major investment. If you have better ideas on how to handle battery recycling, access, disposal, or design, they have a suggestion email link on their site. I suggest using it. Chances are, they will happily listen.
So we should keep pressing, buying, and disposing of billions of CDs instead? How about cassette tape; now that MUST be environmentally friendly strewn across the road.
(° )(° ) … ( °)( °) … ( * )( * )
Don’t they have smileys for every occasion?
Think different?
Are these guys insulting and throwing rocks to environmentalist Mac users? Facts please, facts…not vomiting…
Think different… duhhh !