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Coalition Presses Al Gore To Support Green Policies at Apple
Activists ask Gore to raise the “inconvenient truth”
at Apple shareholder meeting
Press Release: March 22, 2007 – A coalition of over 70 environmental,
and consumer groups and other activists are asking former Vice President and
Apple Board member Al Gore to publicly support two Apple shareholder resolutions
on protecting the environment, and to help lead Apple to improve its environmental
record. The coalition includes the Computer TakeBack Campaign, Greenpeace, Consumers
Union, Friends of the Earth, National Environmental Trust, and Clean
Water Action.
Apple has said that the Board voted unanimously to oppose two environmental
shareholder resolutions, one calling for Apple to study ways to improve its
product takeback and recycling program, and the other for Apple to look at ways
to phase out toxic chemicals from its products. The resolutions will be voted
on at Apple’s annual shareholder meeting, to be held in late April or early
May. Statements from Apple opposing both resolutions will be included with the
upcoming proxy mailing to shareholders.
“We don’t understand
how an environmentalist like Vice President Gore could vote against these
two environmental resolutions, which are very mild and simply call for Apple
to study how to make improvements. How can he be against making improvements
in recycling and phasing out toxic materials? We expect more from someone
who is such a strong leader on global warming.”
- Robin Schneider, Vice-Chair of the Computer TakeBack Campaign and Executive
Director of Texas Campaign for the Environment
Gore Had Promised to Help In Private Meeting
Representatives of the Computer TakeBack Campaign, and investment groups including
As You Sow, sponsor of the shareholder resolution on recycling, had a private
meeting with Vice President Gore in April of 2006, to request his help in pushing
Apple to make improvements in its environmental program. The groups agreed not
to make this meeting public in exchange for Vice President Gore’s agreement
to follow up and promote a dialogue between Apple and stakeholders. But Mr.
Gore has ignored repeated requests, since June 2006 from these groups for follow-up
meetings or discussions on Apple’s program, or even a status report on
any activities he might be promoting.
“High-tech toxics is an ‘inconvenient
truth’ for Apple and the electronics industry. We had high hopes that
Mr. Gore would encourage Apple to become a leader in green design and environmental
responsibility, just like they are a leader in product innovation. We want
to see Apple - the ‘Think Different’ company - do better than their
competitors as environmental leaders. But so far, they are still pretty far
behind – they are out there lobbying against recycling bills supported
by Dell and HP, they have a limited takeback program that they don’t
promote and that’s hard to use, and they refuse to commit to a timeline
for phasing out toxic materials like brominated flame retardants, and PVC
from their products. Maybe ‘think different‘ really means ’don’t
think about it.’
- Ted Smith, Chair of the Computer TakeBack Campaign, and Senior Strategist
of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
Groups Want Improvements In Apple’s Environmental Record
Both Greenpeace and the Computer TakeBack Campaign have been pressing Apple
for three primary changes:
- Improve the company’s takeback and recycling program from its current
modest level to a first class program
- Stop lobbying against producer responsibility e-waste recycling legislation
in the States. (Apple lobbied as recently as last Friday, March 16, against
Connecticut legislation for producer responsibility)
- Lead the electronics industry in green design, including phasing out toxic
materials in their products
In the letter to Gore, the Coalition compared Apple’s performance to other
companies like Dell:
“Apple is well known as a
leading innovator but is conspicuously absent in leading the industry toward
greener products and recycling. In fact, competitors such as Dell, have set
ambitious goals to begin eliminating toxic components (2009) and embraced
strong take-back recycling programs, including support for “individual
producer responsibility” (IPR) legislation.”
In 2006, Dell announced a worldwide free takeback of Dell products. Apple only
has in-store takeback of iPods and limited takeback of a computer if a customer
buys a new Mac.
The Computer Takeback Campaign is a national coalition of organizations promoting
sustainable and responsible practices throughout the high-tech electronics industry,
to protect public health and the environment. Steering Committee Organizations
are Basel Action Network, Center for Environmental Health, Clean Production
Action, Clean Water Action, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and Texas Campaign
for the Environment.
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