Apple has today published its 2021 Environmental Progress Report, setting out the company's ongoing efforts to reduce its impact on the environment and combat climate change.
Apple's goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 is central to the report. For example, Apple highlights its increasing use of recycled materials in its products and packaging, emphasis on environmentally-conscious design, and use of renewable energy, to reduce carbon emissions.
Apple explained that increasing a device's power efficiency can significantly reduce the carbon emissions a device instigates over the course of its use. For example, it mentioned that the low power-per-watt requirements of the M1 chip have reduced the overall carbon footprint of the Mac mini by as much as 34 percent.
The company addressed some of the more controversial environmental decisions that it has taken over the past year, such as removing the power adapter and EarPods from the iPhone. Apple says that this will save 861,000 tons of copper, tin, and zinc ore from being unnecessarily mined from the earth. The move allowed for thinner iPhone boxes, which meant that 70 percent more iPhones can now fit in every shipping pallet, reducing overall the carbon footprint of device transportation.
The report also drew attention to Apple's recent announcement of its $200 million contribution to the "Restore Fund," which will make investments in forestry projects to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
See the full PDF version of Apple's 2021 Environmental Progress Report for more information.
