Apple announced two new initiatives in conjunction with its aim to stop climate change. The programs are intended to reduce the carbon footprint of its manufacturing operations in China.
In a report from 9to5mac, Apple's noble objective in launching these schemes is to avoid the production of "over 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution in the country between now and 2020," which they claim is equal to removing four million passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
What are these two schemes?
1. Apple is building more than 200 megawatts of solar projects in the northern, eastern and southern grid regions of China. The energy that will be produced is enough to power more than 265 thousand homes in China for one year, and will also offset the energy used in Apple's supply chain.
2. Apple is partnering with suppliers in China to set up two gigawatts of clean energy. The company also intends to share best practices in obtaining clean energy.
On top of this, Apple also revealed the completion of its construction of 40-megawatt solar projects in the Sichuan Province of China. The installation is capable of supplying more than the amount of electricity needed by Apple's offices and retail outlets in China, allowing them to have carbon neutral operations.
A statement from Apple's CEO Tim Cook reads, "Climate change is one of the great challenges of our time, and the time for action is now. The transition to a new green economy requires innovation, ambition and purpose. We believe passionately in leaving the world better than we found it and hope that many other suppliers, partners and other companies join us in this important effort."
However, according to CNBC, this move has more to do with the accusation Apple received in 2011 from the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs based in Beijing. Reports said that Apple's suppliers caused massive pollution that threatened the health and safety of the people in China.
In addition to this, last year, China Labor Watch, a non-government organization, claimed that working conditions were unsafe in factories where Apple components are manufactured.
Apple addressed these accusations with the statement, "Last year we conducted 451 audits deep into our supply chain so we could uncover problems and work with our suppliers to fix them, and we make it a priority to investigate every specific concern brought to our attention."
It is definitely good to learn that Apple is making a big, not to mention expensive, effort in resolving environmental issues linked to the company, while at the same time setting an example for other companies to follow.
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