EPEAT
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Retina MacBook Pro meets EPEAT standards
Back in July 2012, Apple removed the EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) green certification from its products, resulting in a flurry of excitement when school systems and governmental agencies threatened to drop Apple products from their "approved to buy" lists. About a week later, Apple apologized to customers and put the products back on the EPEAT listing. Now the company is happy to announce that the MacBook Pro with Retina display meets the EPEAT standards. Previously, the MacBook Pro's inability to be "upgraded with commonly available tools" kept it and other unibody laptops off of the EPEAT list. EPEAT has changed its definition to now include hard drives and optical drives that can be connected externally through Thunderbolt and USB 3.0. EPEAT also wasn't happy with the process of disassembling sealed unibody notebooks, since it makes it difficult to do things like replace batteries or recycle the devices at the end of their useful lives. Manufacturers including Apple provided disassembly instructions, and the EPEAT labs were able to take most laptops apart in 20 minutes or less, removing batteries in less than three minutes. What's good for EPEAT isn't necessarily good for all "green" organizations. According to TechCrunch, Greenpeace's Casey Harrell bemoaned the EPEAT change in definition, stating that "It's unclear why EPEAT caved in, but the impact is that EPEAT has confused consumers and businesses who want to buy green electronics that can be repaired and will last a long time, and sets a dangerous trend for the burgeoning market of Ultrabooks."
Apple, other thin laptop makers pass latest round of EPEAT tests after summer mini-drama
Apple gave eco-friendly computer fans a brief jolt this July after it backed out of EPEAT certification, only to restore most devices just days later. While we can't say we're completely shocked at the follow-up, EPEAT has confirmed that at least one "ultra-thin" laptop from Apple has just cleared the verification process. The as yet unnamed system is more likely to be a Mac that had already earned the recycling-friendly rating in the past, such as the MacBook Air, rather than a sudden turnaround for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The look wasn't exclusively devoted to the Mac side, though -- EPEAT cleared Apple's computer as part of a wider test that also greenlit extra-thin portables from Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba. We've reached out to get a more definitive list, but the approvals should ease the minds of those worried that ever-slimmer laptops are forcing us to give up our green efforts.
How the new MacBook Pros got EPEAT Gold rating
Apple's recent relationship with the EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) environmental rating is getting even more interesting. First, we reported on Apple dropping its entire product line from the program upon realizing that the new Retina display MacBook Pro models wouldn't get the coveted Gold rating due to their almost-impossible-to-recycle glued-in batteries. Then retiring Apple VP Bob Mansfield kissed and made up with the group later in the week. Now we're finding that Apple gave the MacBook Pro with Retina display the EPEAT Gold rating ... although it doesn't merit it. Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt reports that Apple put all eligible products back on the Green Electronic Council's registry, thus clearing the way for purchases by schools and governments that are required to purchase EPEAT-approved computers. However, Apple also added the Gold label to all four models of the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. Almost immediately, the Electronics TakeBack Coalition took offense with what had happened. Barbara Kyle, the National Coordinator for the ETBC said "We seriously doubt that these MacBooks should qualify for EPEAT at any level because we think they flunk two required criteria in the 'Design for End of Life' section of the standard." Those criteria include 4.3.1.3, which states that "External enclosures shall be easily removable by one person alone with commonly available tools" and 4.3.1.5, regarding "Identification and removal of components containing hazardous materials." Basically, Apple just gave itself the rating against the EPEAT criteria. An EPEAT review has not yet happened, and the group could require Apple to remove the Gold label from the MacBook Pro models in question. Elmer-DeWitt also commented on the timing of Apple's withdrawal from EPEAT, noting that the AAPL Sanity board (membership required) pointed out that the annual fee for getting on the registry and fees for all listed products -- which can be in the millions of dollars -- came due on July 1. [via The Loop]
Daily Update for July 16, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Inhabitat's Week in Green: origami Yoda, high-speed rail line and a self powered building
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. It's been a great week for two of our favorite things over at Inhabitat: LEGOs and Star Wars. First, a group of LEGO builders from LEGOLAND Windsor built the tallest LEGO tower ever, snatching the title back from South Korea and returning it to the UK. Then, using 152,455 LEGO bricks, Rolls-Royce built a half-size replica of the jet engine that powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In one of the most ingenious LEGO constructions ever built, LEGO pro Rene Hoffmeister built a barrel organ that plays the Star Wars theme song. And in other Star Wars news, we reported on the renovation of Luke Skywalker's boyhood home in Tatooine (actually it's in Tunisia). And finally, we shared a photo of this 7-centimeter-tall origami Yoda -- the most adorable bit of Star Wars memorabilia ever made.
Daily Update for July 13, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Bob Mansfield: 'all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT'
Here's something you don't want happening when you're trying to wrap up a career, plan a jaunt to Moorea and generally goof off while waiting for the final checks to clear: large numbers of people demanding that you change something. That's probably what one Bob Mansfield is dealing with, just weeks before he'll turn in his Apple employee badge and do... well, whatever he wants. Just six days after the company yanked its products out of EPEAT's green registry, all eligible Apple products are back. Why? Well, many cities, entities and organizations (San Francisco, we're glaring at you) won't purchase products that aren't on the list, and according to a letter from Bob (embedded in full after the break), the removal "was a mistake." He also notes that "Apple makes the most environmentally responsible products in our industry," and that no other company in this industry can say that its entire product line "exceeds the stringent ENERGY STAR 5.2 government standard." Curiously, he also states that Apple's relationship with EPEAT "has become stronger as a result of this experience," which sure makes one wonder what went down to begin with. Now, Bob -- retirement. No more emails. Focus.
Apple reverses course on EPEAT environmental standard, eligible products once again included
Apple has posted a letter from retiring senior VP of hardware engineering Bob Mansfield to its website, walking back the company's abandonment of the EPEAT certification for its eligible products. Per the letter: We've recently heard from many loyal Apple customers who were disappointed to learn that we had removed our products from the EPEAT rating system. I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT. There's a corresponding statement from EPEAT president Robert Frisbee on the organization's site. It was only last week that Apple's 39 EPEAT-eligible products were pulled from the industry registry at the company's request. As recently as this Tuesday, Apple's PR team was pointing out that the company's environmental efforts are continuing and include many areas of progress not covered by the outdated EPEAT standards. It's likely that the "loyal Apple customers" who raised their concerns with Mansfield and Apple management included many large institutional and government accounts, which may have purchasing rules mandating EPEAT-eligible gear when possible. Both Mansfield and Frisbee emphasize that this experience has strengthened the collaborative efforts of Apple and EPEAT, and that Apple's input will be crucial in evolving the standard to deal with more modern devices. Hat tip to Ed Bott!
Daily Update for July 11, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple responds to EPEAT move
Apple responded to the controversy surrounding its request to remove its products from the EPEAT green electronics registry. In a statement provided to The Loop, Apple representative Kristin Huguet confirmed the Cupertino company's commitment to the highest environmental standards and pointed out that "Apple products are superior in other important environmental areas not measured by EPEAT." You can read the full statement and Jim Dalrymple's analysis on The Loop's website.
Daily Update for July 10, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
City of San Francisco stops buying Macs without EPEAT certification
Yesterday TUAW reported on Apple's withdrawal from the EPEAT green electronics registry, along with a note that federal, state, and local governments might balk at buying Macs as a result. The City of San Francisco, CA has announced that letters will be sent to all 50 city agencies over the next two weeks notifying them that Apple desktops and laptops will no longer qualify for procurement. Will this have an impact on Apple's bottom line? Well, in 2012 the City purchased a total of $3.8 million on desktops and laptops -- only $45,579 of that amount was for Apple products including iPads. iPads don't fall under the EPEAT certification and wouldn't be subject to the purchasing ban. Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying "Given the relatively small percentage [of organizations] that require 100% EPEAT-compliance, it's not going to make a whole lot of difference to Apple." Despite Apple's withdrawal from the EPEAT standards (which it helped create in 2006), the company's green record is better than that of many other electronics manufacturers. Apple publishes annual environmental reports online showing both successes and areas that need improvement, and the company sponsors recycling programs both online and through the retail outlets.
Apple removes EPEAT green certification, could lose government customers
Apple has done an increasingly good job of creating environmentally-friendly products, but the company did something the other day that probably has both environmentalists and some customers scratching their heads. The company has removed the EPEAT green electronics certification from its products, and won't be submitting products to the global registry for rating in the future. Reporter Joel Schectman at the Wall Street Journal says that Apple asked to have all 39 EPEAT certified devices pulled from the registry. EPEAT's CEO, Robert Frisbee, told Schectman that "They (Apple) said their design direction was no longer consistent with the EPEAT requirements." This is visible in the new MacBook Pro with Retina display, which uses parts that are glued into the case for space considerations. This makes the device almost impossible to fully disassemble for recycling. Some government agencies and school districts make recycling of electronics a criteria for purchasing, although it's not known what effect the EPEAT pullback could have on sales of the devices. Sarah O'Brien, director of outreach for EPEAT, said that corporations such as Ford and Kaiser Permanente require CIOs for purchase EPEAT certified sources, and the U.S. government requires 95% of all electronics purchased carry EPEAT certification.
Dell rolls out budget, eco-minded P2210, E190S, E170S monitors
We just caught sight of one low-cost Dell monitor headed for Hong Kong a few days ago, and it looks like the company has now rolled out another three for folks over here, including the widescreen P2210 model, and the old school E190S and E170S 4:3 models. Each of those meet the usual EPEAT Gold and Energy Star requirements, and Dell also goes one step further by using halogen-free laminates and a chassis composed of 25% post-consumer recycled plastics. Of course, they'll also get the job done spec-wise, with the 22-inch widescreen model boasting a 1,680 by 1,050 resolution along with VGA, DVI and DisplayPort connections, while the 17 and 19-inch 4:3 models dial things back to 1,280 x 1,024 and VGA only. Good enough? Then you can grab any one right now for $110, $130 or $240.
Dell Vostro 410 desktop isn't ashamed of its greenness
Dell's been squarely situated on the green bandwagon for years now, and just as it did with the OptiPlex 755, Round Rock is making quite a fuss about the all new Vostro 410 desktop. The mini-tower features Intel's Core 2 Quad processors, an optional 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT, room for four internal hard drives / six PCIe or PCI cards, gigabit Ethernet, up to 4GB of RAM, dual-layer DVD burner and a rather run-of-the-mill port assortment. Potentially best of all, however, isn't the 47-percent energy savings it's purported to deliver -- oh no, it's the complete absence of bloatware, as Dell looks to fit the machine "with only the software you want" for your business. Check it out now in North / South America and the UK starting at $599, while Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa will have access before the end of next week.
Lenovo's ThinkVision L174 and L197 Wide monitors join the green parade
Lenovo certainly hasn't been shy about its recent obsession with green wares, and apparently, it's unveiling two more LCD monitors to join the environmentally-friendly farm. Curiously enough, Lenovo spent so much time glorifying the low power consumption of the EPEAT Gold qualified L174 (17-inch) and L197 Wide (19-inch) monitors, that it completely failed to dish out even a lackluster specifications list. Apparently, it's hoping that you'll feel so convicted by this duo's attempt to go easy on Mother Earth that you'll just hand over your $239.99 / $259.99 without even concerning yourself with petty things like "resolution" and "response time." Oh, and that's the (likely similar looking) L194 pictured -- remember, focus on the green factor, people.
Lenovo rolls out five new ThinkVision LCDs
It looks like five is the magic number today, with now Lenovo now following up Viewsonic's latest batch of projectors with five new ThinkVision LCD monitors. Leading the pack is the 19-inch L190x, which is apparently the first monitor to be rated EPEAT Gold. That rating is based on 51 different environmental criteria, of which the L193p had to meet all 23 required criteria as well as at least 20 of EPEAT's 28 optional criteria. Apart from that notable bragging right, however, the monitor looks to be pretty standard fare, with it boasting a 1280 x 1024 resolution, an 800:1 contrast ratio, and 5 ms response time, among other common specs. The other stand-out model in the line-up is the 19-inch L190x which, according to Lenovo, features the "slimmest bezel in the industry at just 6.6 millimeters." Rounding out the lot are three entirely no-frills models, including the 15-inch L151, 17-inch L171, and the 19-inch L194. Look for all five to be available next month, with prices ranging from $199 to $379.[Via Pocket-lint]
Apple earns a silver in environmental evaluation
Recently, Apple has been the target of much environmental criticism, especially from Greenpeace, and a recent EPEAT survey reinforces some of that negativity regarding the company's lack of environmental attention. EPEAT is a government operation created to approve computers before they can be purchased by other governmental institutions, and the organization gives product ratings based on a multitude of environmental criteria. Apple has earned five silver medals for several of its MacBook Pro systems, meaning that the company has passed 23 mandatory standards, and 14 of a possible 28 optional standards. The highest rank, gold, is rewarded to computers that have passed all 23 mandatory standards, plus 21 of 28 optional ones. For comparison, Toshiba has earned five golds, 15 silvers, and four bronzes, Dell has earned two golds and 12 silvers for its laptops, and Lenovo has 48 silvers and a single bronze under its belt. Hopefully Apple will step up and make a greater effort to address some of its environmental shortcomings in the near future and go for the gold.[via MacNN]
HP launches environmentally friendly rp5700 slim desktop PC
As the green trend looms ever larger over the consumer electronics industry, HP is taking full advantage of the opportunity by unveiling the environmentally friendly rp5700 slim desktop PC. The company toots its own horn by boasting about the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Gold award that the machine has garnered, and we'd assume that building it from 95-percent recyclable components and packing it in a box made from at least 25-percent post-consumer recycled cardboard had something to do with it. Additionally, the unit sports an uber-efficient power supply and comes with "an optional solar renewable energy source" to extract juice from the sun. As for hardware, you'll find Intel Core 2 Duo chips up to 2.13GHz, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, SATA hard drives as large as 250GB, optional RAID 1 setups, and your choice of operating system. Of course, the EPEAT Gold-certified machine steps it down to a Celeron 440 CPU with 512MB of RAM, and while this particular configuration will start at $817, other options are available today from $648 right on up.[Via Slashgear]
