Lawsuit Over Apple Watch Carbon Offsets
Jonathan Stempel (MacRumors, 9to5Mac):
Apple has been sued by consumers who said its claim that three versions of Apple Watches are “carbon neutral” and environmentally friendly is false and misleading.
[…]
Apple, also known for the iPhone, launched the watches in September 2023, saying they would be carbon neutral through a combination of lower emissions and purchases of carbon offsets.
[…]
“In both cases, the carbon reductions would have occurred regardless of Apple’s involvement or the projects’ existence,” the complaint said. “Because Apple’s carbon neutrality claims are predicated on the efficacy and legitimacy of these projects, Apple’s carbon neutrality claims are false and misleading.”
I doubt that large numbers of people wouldn’t have purchased Apple Watches without them being carbon neutral, but I guess this is the easiest legal route to try to hold a company to account for (alleged) misleading advertising claims.
for me it came down to the realization of what apple was saying about the environment versus what they were doing locking down devices through software and hardware pairing that ultimately juices the circulation of ewaste
Previously:
- Glowtime Ennui
- Longevity, by Design
- FineWoven iPhone Cases and Watch Bands
- The Average Lifespan of a Smartphone
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Now Runs On “100%” Green Energy
- Almost Nothing About the “Apple Harvests Gold From iPhones” Story Is True
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I think it's wise to take claims of 'carbon neutrality' from any company with a pinch of salt. It's too easy to game the system.
Nothing Apple has ever done, will ever do, can or will ever be so-called carbon neutral. Yes, I know I'm only one person but many 100s of 1000s or more people that care to consider such a notion, believe this. And they're right to. And no one can deny it. Apple's claim is BS. They should stick to their strengths. As told by A.I..
Removing the ability for iMacs to be reused as standalone external displays, after they no longer are eligible for OS or security updates—which Apple did with the introduction of the M-series iMacs—puts the lie to their claims of a commitment to ecological sustainability.
Indigo is right… it’s an absurdity to imagine Apple as carbon neutral. There needs to be strict, binding laws about such claims, especially when they are undergirded by “offsets”. Hopefully this lawsuit will be part of a campaign to bring attention to this.
Yes, it would be a great idea to make carbon neutral labels more clear. Offsetting isn't bad, but it's not in any way as straightforward as "I produced X amount of carbon, I'll plant a tree and everything will be fine"
I'd love to see Apple make a serious attempt at a environmentally friendly laptop and phone. They have the muscle and chops to make something truly great. It wouldn't be carbon neutral for obvious reasons, but they are definitely able to make something that beats the Fairphone and Framework laptops.
Nice to see. Apple has been using "greenwashing" to justify things that hurt consumers (like removing cables from boxes) while increasingly relying on policies that hurt consumers *and* increase waste (like removing the ability to upgrade RAM and storage in their computers)
I don't think Apple is really a friend of the eco movement. Seems more like a parasite or coattails rider
