Greenpeace demonstration

Greenpeace activists last night projected large images on the walls of the San Francisco Apple Store to protest the company's use of toxic chemicals, depicting Asian scrap yards where many electronic products such as those made by Apple end up when they are finally discarded. As Mac enthusiasts gathered for the annual trade show, images of electronic products being melted and taken apart -- releasing toxic chemicals into the environment -- shown on the exterior of the store. The organization 'greened' Apple's Fifth Ave store in New York on December 18th by shining green flood lights into the iconic store's glass cube at the street level.

"Apple is a leader in creative thinking and design, and we are encouraging them to expand that innovative know-how to making all of their products green," said Rick Hind, Legislative Director of Greenpeace USA's Toxics campaign. "Our purpose here is to remind them that making products with toxic chemicals in them is not an option." E-waste is the fastest growing source of toxic waste, according to Greenpeace, much of which ends up in the hands of children working in toxic scrap yards in India and other developing countries.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently ranked Apple's MacBook Pro among the most eco-friendly portable computers in its EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool). The ranking came after Greenpeace released its 'Guide to Greener Electronics' which put the Cupertino-based company in last place with regard to environmental issues. That guide followed Apple's low score on a recent Greenpeace environmental report card detailing the use of toxic chemicals.

by MacNN Staff