BETTER FOR THE PLANET

Apple’s commitment to the environment is impressive, especially in times where giants like Amazon and Google are releasing low-cost hardware that is not environmentally friendly. The company already powers its facilities with 100% renewable energy, is working to procure 4 gigawatts of clean energy in its supply chain by 2020, has committed $2.5 billion in clean energy and energy efficiency projects, and recently unveiled its next-generation recycling robot Daisy, but it knows that making changes to its hardware will help most in protecting the planet.

The latest MacBook Air is Apple’s greenest yet and is the first Mac to be made from 100% recycled aluminum. The notebooks’ aluminum alloy offers the same strength, durability, and stunning design as previous Macs, but it does not require the need to mine the earth for new aluminum. An incredible 5,301 thousand metric tonnes of aluminium was manufactured in September 2018 alone and so by reducing the need for new raw materials, Apple will help to cut the damaging effects of aluminum mining.

In a world first, aluminum for the MacBook Air uses shavings of recaptured aluminum and re-engineers them down to an atomic level to create a strong, beautiful enclosure with 600 series aluminum, all whilst lowering carbon emissions and protecting the environment.

It’s clear that Apple’s shift in manufacturing will have a ripple effect, and we’ll likely see more of its products follow the same pattern in the coming years. Also announced at the October

event was the Mac mini, which features 60 percent recycled plastic and uses the same 100 percent recycled aluminum construction as the new MacBook Air. As future iterations of the iPad, iPhone, MacBook Pro, and iMac are launched, we’re hoping to see similar innovations that put the environment at the forefront, without compromising on style or performance.