In the dazzling spectacle that was Apple’s iPhone 15 event, CEO Tim Cook and VP Lisa Jackson shared the virtual stage with none other than Mother Nature herself, portrayed by Octavia Spencer. The purpose? To tout Apple’s ambitious environmental goals, notably in conjunction with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 9. Some versions of this new wearable are proudly labeled as carbon neutral, marking the company’s first product to bear this distinction. However, as the applause from the event subsided, questions arose regarding whether Apple’s self-praise was entirely justified or merely a showcase of what should be expected of any conscientious tech giant.
Setting the Bar High
Apple’s commitment to environmental sustainability is indeed commendable. The company’s aspirations are lofty, aiming for complete carbon neutrality by 2030. This commitment is shared by some of its domestic competitors, albeit with smaller hardware footprints. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, reached net zero in its global operations in 2020 and plans to extend this achievement across its entire value chain by 2030. Microsoft’s ambitions are even grander, as it pledges to become a carbon-negative company by the same year. Google, while striving for carbon-free energy in all its operations by 2030, anticipates only halving its emissions by that deadline. In contrast, Amazon, once criticized for lagging behind in sustainability, has set its sights on achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.
The Stark Reality
