Apple pledges to become completely carbon neutral by 2030

By Allison Matyus July 21, 2020

Apple promised to go completely carbon neutral in the next 10 years, with every device sold having a net-zero climate impact.

In the company’s latest Environmental Progress Report released Tuesday, Apple laid out its road map for how it plans to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030.

“Businesses have a profound opportunity to help build a more sustainable future, one born of our common concern for the planet we share,” said CEO Tim Cook. “The innovations powering our environmental journey are not only good for the planet — they’ve helped us make our products more energy-efficient and bring new sources of clean energy online around the world.

Apple

According to its 2020 Environmental Progress Report, Apple cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 4.3 million metric tons last year, and its products use 73% less energy than they did over a decade ago. In April, Apple became carbon neutral in its corporate emissions, which includes emissions from its facilities.

However, the company still has work to do. In 2019, Apple produced 25.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, and 76% of that was in its product manufacturing. The tech giant is pledging to focus on lowering the carbon footprint numbers of its products. Apple plans to do this by including more recycled materials in devices, innovative device recycling, and designing products as energy-efficient as possible.

One of the technologies Apple has implemented to achieve this goal includes robots called “Dave” and “Daisy” that can disassemble iPhones and the Taptic Engine from an iPhone to recover materials like rare earth elements, tungsten, and steel.

Apple also detailed its support in developing the first-ever carbon-free aluminum smelting process with two of its aluminum suppliers. To further cut down on aluminum use, Apple also said it would continue to use carbon-free aluminum in the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…

Mobile

The 6 best car phone holders in 2024

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

Cars

Should you buy a used EV? Maybe, but it’s complicated

Electric cars are slowly but surely getting cheaper. Over the past year or so, Ford and Tesla have been discounting their most popular electric cars while other brands, like Rivian, are laying the groundwork for all-new cheaper models.

But you'd still be hard-pressed to call electric cars cheap, and buying a completely new car in the first place is a hurdle in and of itself for many potential buyers. According to Statista, used car sales represented around 74% of all car sales in 2022, and while this figure is likely to change as electric cars get cheaper, the fact remains that most car buyers would prefer to save cash and buy used rather than buy something new.
Buying a new car ain't what it used to be
Buying a car with an electric powertrain doesn't necessarily need to be all that different from buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. But there's a little more to it than that.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E: Will the R2 be a better buy?

Side of the Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it could end up being the go-to EV for drivers who want a decently affordable electric car with a rugged look and feel. But when it finally launches to the public, it won't be the only option in its price range -- the Ford Mustang Mach-E could be one of its main competitors.

The Mustang Mach-E may not be quite as rugged-feeling as the Rivian R2, but it does have a lot going for it -- like an increasingly low price, sleek design, and comfortable interior. Is one of these EVs better than the other? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The first thing to note about the two cars is their design, as they’re pretty different. The Rivian R2 is built to be a little more rugged and outdoorsy, while the Mach-E instead has a sleeker and sportier look to it. Both cars look stylish and modern.