Apple Shares 2021 Environmental Progress Report

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.

environmental progress report 2021
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.

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Brings New AppleCare+ Options to India

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:42 am PST by
Apple today announced an expansion of AppleCare+ coverage in India, with new options for monthly and annual plans, and the addition of Theft and Loss for iPhone for the first time. Options for monthly and annual AppleCare+ plans in India provide more choice and flexibility, allowing users to keep coverage for as long as they require. Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App

Thursday November 20, 2025 8:21 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed...
android iphone airdrop quickshare

iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Thursday November 20, 2025 9:47 am PST by
Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available. The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold....

Top Rated Comments

cmaier Avatar
60 months ago

My trouble with this is Apple is just moving the the issue to another vendors. Especially when it comes to power adapters. It seems like they want to make themselves look great caring less about other vendors. What they should do is produce power adapters that are better, and more environmentally conscious than everyone else. Apparently they just want to check the box saying they met the carbon emissions goal.
How are they moving the issue to other vendors on power adapters? Apple still sells power adapters. It’s just now you only buy one when you need it, and don’t incur the environmental costs of manufacture and shipping when you don’t.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
60 months ago

iCloud, by default, backs-up everything to iCloud. Photos and videos backed-up to iCloud.

I don't backup photos to iCloud because every time a picture is edited it goes through the upload process again and if I delete a picture after I use it the whole iCloud backup process was for nothing.

This goes-on for millions of Apple users every day. How much unnecessary iCloud traffic goes-on every day for Apple users? This is a stain on Apple's "Environmental Progress Report".
Most people never delete photos. Most people WANT their edited photos to be mirrored on their other devices or on iCloud. Most people would have no idea how to turn this feature on. This is a silly thing to complain about.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
60 months ago

Your reply is silly. I guess you are ignorant about the concept of server farms using a lot of energy and unnecessary Internet traffic goes against "environmentalism".
No, my reply isn’t silly. First, apple’s server farms are carbon neutral. Second, it’s only a waste of resources when the work isn’t necessary. Here, the work is necessary. It’s what people want and are paying for.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yellow8 Avatar
60 months ago
Let's go world! Let's move to something awesome: not ruining the planet!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
60 months ago

Apple server farms may be "carbon neutral" because they get power from renewable suppliers but all the stuff between your device and their servers farms is likely not carbon neutral.

I noticed unneccessary Internet traffic with my devices. Every time I edited a picture it went through the iCloud backup process. I need the iCloud backup only at the end when I am finished with the picture. Simple things like this happen millions of times every day.
It was unnecessary to YOU. Now how much carbon will be emitted dealing with support phone calls, YouTube searches, and trips to the apple store to teach people how to enable iCloud syncing if Apple gives in to your idea and doesn’t turn it on by default?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ELman Avatar
60 months ago
My trouble with this is Apple is just moving the the issue to another vendors. Especially when it comes to power adapters. It seems like they want to make themselves look great caring less about other vendors. What they should do is produce power adapters that are better, and more environmentally conscious than everyone else. Apparently they just want to check the box saying they met the carbon emissions goal.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)