Greenpeace Challenges Apple iPhone to be Green

As an extension of it's 'Green my Apple' campaign, Greenpeace today issued a challenge to Apple to keep the highly anticipated Apple iPhone as environmentally friendly as it can. In reality, the challenge is directed more towards consumers than Apple itself. As the decision making surrounding the component selection and manufacturing are well in the past, most actions Apple could take to keep the iPhone "green" have already presented themselves. Thus, Greenpeace is highlighting important areas in which Apple should have taken special care and challenging would-be customers to react appropriately should the iPhone fail to measure up to their criteria.

Citing Nokia, Sony Ericcson, and Motorola as positive role models - Greenpeace highlighted three major areas where Apple and the iPhone should excel:

1) avoiding the use of the most toxic chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants and Polyvinyl Chloride in iPhone components and/or the manufacturing process

2) establishing a global "take back" policy which results in high reuse/recycle rates and reduces waste

3) including a removal battery in the iPhone (unlike Apple iPods) which would prevent iPhones with failed batteries from becoming waste prematurely

Whether Apple has heard Greenpeace's called and elected to make the iPhone as "green" as it can be remains to be seen. Certainly, as with it's other products, Apple can expect to hear from Greenpeace and it's supporters should the iPhone fail to measure up to Greenpeace's vision.