According to Greenpeace, “Sometimes companies need to be reminded of their environmental commitments–like HP’s 2007 promise to stop putting toxic chemicals in their computer products. That’s why our activists climbed to the top of HP’s global headquarters in Palo Alto California today, and William Shatner (yes, Captain James T. Kirk) recorded a special voice message for all the staff in the building.”
Greenpeace’s website proclaims:
We painted a huge message “Hazardous Products” onto the roof of the Hewlett-Packard building (the paint was toxic-free). Meanwhile a voice mail from actor William Shatner was delivered to all the phones in the building with an automated system.
HP was being called-out for backtracking on its commitments to phase out toxic chemicals from its products by the end of this year. It cost them a penalty point in our Guide to Greener Electronics last month, along with Dell and Lenovo. So to get them back onto the straight and narrow, we’re delivering reminders to the company at their buildings, in the press and online.
Today’s action follows similar demonstrations at HP offices in China and the Netherlands highlighting the continued presence of toxic chemicals in its products.
Earlier this year, HP postponed its 2007 commitment to phase out dangerous substances such as brominated flame retardants (BFR) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic from their computer products (excluding their server and printer lines) from 2009 to 2011.
It’s shameful that HP is continuing to put hazardous products on the market, despite the promises it made. It should be following the lead of companies like Apple, which has led the sector in phasing out these toxic chemicals.
Apple’s new computer lines, virtually free of PVC and completely BFR-free, demonstrate the technical feasibility and supply-chain readiness of producing alternatives to these hazardous substances. Dell, Lenovo and Acer have also stayed ahead of HP, putting models on the market that are free of, or at least significantly reduced in their use of, PVC and BFRs.
So it can be done, other companies are moving much faster that the world’s number one seller of PCs. If HP wants to remain a market leader and not just another purveyor of harmful products, it needs to get back on track and eliminate BFRs and PVC from its products by the end of this year, as promised.
Full article, including William Shatner’s message to HP, here.
MacDailyNews Take: The militant kooks at Greenpeace never fail to at least partially hop onto Apple’s coattails for some free PR. They lost sight of their original mission so long ago, it’s a miracle they can even remember to use the word “environment” in their self-promotional propaganda. They’ve obviously also never heard of the words “criminal trespass and vandalism.” HP needs to fire those responsible for building “security.” And William Shatner should know better: Vi estis manipulita.
Trespassing to hang an embarrassing banner is one thing, but to use paint?!?!? Some executive should be arrested for that one, and Greenpeace should be charged for the cleanup fee.
This isn’t international waters, there are laws that they must be accountable for.
To add to my post above –
Unfortunately the police can’t to ANYTHING unless HP files charges, and they may be guilted out of doing that.
So, what does that say about security at HP?
Did they have inside help?
You know, I often disagree with Green Peace’s methods, but come on people, this is not that bad. I find it fairly comical, actually, and it gets the point across.
Public shaming is the best way to get people or companies to change. Calling HP’s bluff is exactly what needed to be done. And as other people have pointed out, no one was hurt, and the paint is not permanent.
Yes. They broke the law. That’s bad. But if no one was hurt, and there was no permanent property damage…why complain?
Just another reason to call your Senator To-Day and tell them to vote NO on Cap & Trade!!
I’ve decided that the next printer I buy will be from HP. Fuck greenpeace.
-jcr
I thinks it’s only fair after years of Apple bashing, because they would not deliver a ‘road map’ to non-toxic construction, that they now focus on those who delivered a ‘road-map’ and ignore it.
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Apart from that, it’s a media thing again. HP is a good target. They would have gone after a DELL plant, but those are closing so fast, you cannot keep track
@iPhoner
Please help me prioritize my hate list.
– Green Peace
– Microsoft
– Scientology
– PETA
– Raiders
** Religions
** GMO
** Revisionists
** Creationists (well, see “religions”)
* Sorry Raider fans! You’re allowed to substitute Broncos in your list.
** added
Oh! Sorry… i’ll finally take out Greenpeace and replace it with:
** Narrow minded and money blinded bandits and pollution terrorists
You can tell that most commenters are American here – the world’s biggest consumers of energy. While you drive your car two miles down the road to McDonalds because you’re too fat on convenience food to walk, using up valuable resources and poluting the atmosphere, the civilised world on the other side of the Atlantic is facing up to its responsibilities. (Yes, there are other countries in the world).
Apple should be applauded for leading the way in this industry and they are highly regarded for their co-operation with Greenpeace here in Europe. It took direct action to get black people the right to vote in your ‘land of the free’ – sometimes that’s what is needed and Greenpeace should be praised for trying to convince your generally selfish, lazy and irresponsible country to face up to its responsibilities. Well done Apple and keep up the good work GP.
To . .
BOLDLY go . .
where . .
no PAINTER . .
has GONE before.
And finally, after the uproar has hopefully subsided, common sense rose to the surface.
It takes courage and patience to change hearts & minds of not just individuals but groups, crowds, countries & the world. Example:- Gandhi, Mother Teressa, Jesus, Mohammed, Elijah, Moses, Abraham, Isaac Newton, Charles Barbage, Leonardo DaVinci, Ada Lovelace, Plato, Benjamin Franklin, Graham Alexander Bell, Marconi, Mona E. Simpson, Einstein, Ányos Jedlik, Zénobe Théophile Gramme, Charles Francis Brush, Alfred Nobel, Mohammed Ali, & Mr. Steve Jobs combined with Mr. Steve Wozniak.
In the cold harsh light of daylight, let us examine what it is that Greenpeace have done.
They have provoked thought, anger, shame and a whole gamut of feelings from everyone in a bid to expose those that would damage the environment in the name of commerce, is it such a bad thing even if some of us don’t agree with them?
Long may Greenpeace carry on!
Maybe this environmental shit is all overblown in the first place. No… that can’t be it.
HazMatt
@Mick James (et al)
“I appreciate the point you tried to make but I would hardly equate Voting or sitting at the front of the bus with Vandalism.”
OK. But could you equate Voting or sitting at the front of the bus with trying to stop the poisoning our environment, with for example BFR’s or PVC? Are you really more concerned with the letter of the law in instances like these than the environment (at least my) children will grow up in?
I see this issue like this: Greenpeace have slapped Apple upside the head a few times. Therefore “true” Apple fans MUST take every opportunity to bash Greenpeace, no matter what. Think first and act then? Nosirree, not me. Then I wouldn’t be a true Apple fan. Those Greenpeacers are EVIL! They want to criticize Apple, so they’re obviously out to destroy civilization. Unlike for example honest to god companies spreading bromium and PVC in our drinking water, since they are not breaking the letter of any law. Morally questionable (to say the least …) and against the intent of several laws to poison the world we all have to live in? But they don’t actully break no law, so what yer goin on bout???
And there are people wondering why it’s so slow going to even slow environmental degradation. Sheesh …
MDN word “case”, as in at least William Shatner is on the case.
@Macd
“Just another reason to call your Senator To-Day and tell them to vote NO on Cap & Trade!!”
Yeah, that’s what this is about, right? It figures.
MDN-Please skip the political comments. They lower the quality of your site.
One of the great things about Apple’s batteries is they have a very slim chance of ending up in landfills. Unlike all the consumer removable and replaceable batteries out there where 80 to 90% end up in landfills. Consumers don’t think about it but your lithium based battery craps out and isn’t rechargeable or only holds 40% of it’s charge so you run out and buy a new battery for $60-$120.00 toss the old one in the trash install the new charge it up and your off. A new Macbook Pro in 5 years might need a new battery you take it in to an Apple store for $50.00 they remove it put in a new one and send the old battery for recycling. Apple will do the same for iPod and iPhone Batteries.
If Greenpeace had not singled out Apple for environmental issues, Apple would not have produced its current crop of environmentally friendly products, and no one would give a shyte.
Greenpeace may or may not have a spotless record, but they certainly are doing the right thing by reminding the world – in a harmless way – that HP is reneging on its commitments. No one else would even care.
Equating a roof getting painted with terrorism is so ridiculous that it makes me wonder if this whole line of commentary is a big astroturf job by HP gang members.
Nice work Greenpeace. Keep it up.
Careful, your jealousy is showing.
All the posters in here, not old enough to remember and therefore not understanding the enormously good job GP have done for environmental issues should read up. Today there is a lot of environmental groups (and I would say, more efficient than GP) but none of them would have existed without the enormous ground work GP did to change a generations “enlightenment”. So all the “young” posters in here bashing GP, I would say, that without them you would have been as stupid as the generation before you and probably would have brushed your teeth in Agent Orange convinced it was a good product.
Your calibration on environmental issues that you today take for granted as common sense would probably not be without GP.
And back then they where bashed of the zealots as disturbing communist troublemaker-not-good-for-anything…and reading this blog they are now days labeled terrorist-disturbing-the-peace-no-goods…huh?
TO MDN, If I where you I would stay away from political involvement, especially when you time after time dresses your opinions in such “in the box” thinking. You have a good thing going with your site don’t spoil it being so PC. Just saying.
Anybody notice that the word Apple in the MDN take is linked to a “Bing” ad. WTF?
MDN word: wrong. How appropriate!
@Michael
“Steve Jobs was an LCD dropping, pot smoking, non-meat eating, Bob Dylan loving hippie for christ’s sake”
Steve Jobs dropped an LCD screen? Butterfingers!!! (with apologies to PeTA)
All this faux outrage over … gasp … something illegal.
Does anyone remember MDN takes that advised music lovers to access something called BitTorrent, in response to the music companies that insisted on DRM, variable pricing, album sales, and a host of other evil practices?
Where was all the outrage and derision and knee-jerking about how … gasp … illegal it is to download music without paying for it?
Busted you are, MDN.
The real media whore here is MDN. The only reason it posts such political drivel on a Mac-centric site is to drive up the hit rates and ad clicks.
HOORAY for William Shatner and Greenpeace!
Sometimes the only way to get a big corporation to get off its ass and do what is best for the earth is to embarrass the heck out of them.
This wasn’t eco-terrorism. Nobody got hurt. Nothing got blown up or burned down.
So to all of you sanctimonious right-wingers who hate anything labelled “green”, “peace” or “environmental”: suck it up.
Greenpeace is not perfect, but at least they are doing SOMETHING to hold companies accountable. I guess what many of you are saying is that it’s okay for a big company to profit from damaging the environment and hurting everyone’s health, but painting a message on a rooftop to call attention to the former is a criminal offense that is far worse?