In the middle of the sometimes centenary trees and almost 100 m high, deprived of any connection and any contact with the modern world, difficult to imagine that this wooded and wild land belongs in part to the apple. Which is even part of its most large and ambitious Apple 2030 plan.
In the heart of River Forest, in northern California, with some rhythms of the Pacific wing, Robles, Pinos de Secaya and giant secuoyas offer their local coverage of flora and flora that these 5 km dotted over 10 km of earth. A quiet and wild place, devoid of any technology, which is a strong element of the climate commitment of the Cupertino giant. A paradox? On paper, of course. Without a doubt, some will talk about Apple’s green washing, but maybe it is necessary to force the line to achieve this famous zero carbon emissions objective for the company.
“A difficult project”
Apple 2030 represents the most ambitious climate objective of the brand to lead this famous carbon neutrality announced in 2020 and will have to reach ten years later. “A difficult project,” admits Lisa Jackson, vice president of Apple’s environmental, political and social initiatives with Tech & Co., but Apple is ready to rise to complete it.
The Cupertino giant already has the commitment to make carbon neutral its own facilities (offices, data centers, stores, etc.). Since 2018, each building has been supplied with renewable energies, the new Champs-Elysées de Apple store and the offices they thank are a good illustration, from the recovery of rainwater to ventilation systems or solar panels to operate everything. But it was just a first step. Apple now aims to carbon neutrality for all its activities, either the production of products or their programs throughout their lives in our hands. For this, there are no other solutions than carbon compensation …
And this is what these wild California lands serve. Trees, grass and water courses in abundance, but to nurture anything, if not the fauna … the vegetation is surrounded by attention, accompanied by its growth, and blooms under the control of the fund restaurant launched by Apple in 2021, in relation to the conservation of the fund, an unprepared organization that the unprepared organization that the forests threatened to protect them. These two funds manage the Californian site to guarantee its restoration and sustainable management. Here, without a doubt, it is “one of the 24 regeneration conservation and agriculture projects backed by Apple on 6 continents,” recalls Lisa Jackson.
The huge site will be supervised by the conservation fund that a especially financial partner found in Apple to preserve the facilities and leave them in wildlife. “They do not make it a new vineyard that dries the earth or a great land of construction that would destroy all biodiversity,” that is ambition, one of the members of the Conservation Fund who prefers the idea “of an aid for the planet” tells us. And everyone finds common land.
Because Apple has long decided to be happy with “buy” carbon credits for a long time, a frequent maneuver of technological giants to compensate for its emissions and obtain a balance in balance.
An objective that can be achieved at 75%, but how to manage the 25% you will lose?
Apple has worked hard on scope emissions 1 and 2, in particular when reviewing its processes, its designs with more and more recycled materials (99% of the cobalt battery, 55% of the MacBook Air manufacturing materials) and their best supervised supply. Manufacturing, transport, use, from the extraction of mineral to the consumption of electricity from production chains, are too large suppliers of carbon emissions. Therefore, Apple goes to a 75% reduction of its total carbon footprint compared to 2015 by 2030, with clean energy and recycled materials in particular, but also of changes in habits. The company estimates that it has already reached a reduction of more than 60%.
Mainly it remains the scope 3 (and a little of the 2), which escapes the direct control of Apple, even if Apple has invested, especially in Europe in several renewable energy production projects, such as wind turbines in Denmark.
The Secuoyas, Los Pinos de Secoya and other oaks, but also the animals that populate the Forest of the Galala River, near Mendoza, will be precious allies. “Our priority is not to compensate, but really reduce,” she says. “We are doing our part of the work, and since 2020, we have shown that we know how to act with our own operations in the zero carbon footprint. It is still that our suppliers do the same to reach a 100% electric supply chain in 2030”.
But that does not stop there. Because the environment is also “one of the most powerful technologies to eliminate carbon from the atmosphere” and Apple hopes to retain about 9.6 million tons of carbon every year thanks to its various projects in the world. “We also want to invest in projects that store carbon in a verifiable way and that also provide benefits to ecosystems and communities,” added the manager.
However, this does not go through the addition of money while waiting for it to happen. Apple also promises transparency in this project and recalls the annual report published on environmental development “to strengthen the trust and certainty that work is not just words.” “The measure is the most important point,” insists Lisa Jackson, remembering that the relationship with experts considers the amount of carbon that the fund projects will withdraw.
The consumer also has a role to play
For a company that continues to launch new products throughout the year, it invests in the survival of the mangroves in South America, preserves more than 48,000 hH of forest in California and Maine, allow the installation of the solar farm in China for suppliers for suppliers may seem paradoxical. But Lisa Jackson denies it. “We take into account the environment while we work in the creation of these excellent products,” he slipped. “It is not one balance against each other. These are both, the environment and the best products.”
If Apple knows their role and obligations, he distributes them about his Apple 2030 plan, which also aims to transform his economic model, he does not rule out his responsibility as well. “There is a synergy between performance and environment. For us, it is in the life of the product that we must also show it,” proclaims Lisa Jackson. “We have some time to make products that we want to be reliable and that last a long time, which can transmit to your family or others. And we need to think about recycling them too. They do not stay in a drawer.”
In the heart of reach 3, the consumer must be active, and Apple intends to make him think, make him aware of his environmental responsibility. Encourage its users to recycle, so that the last time is strange, it may seem strange from a company that comes out a new version of its STAR devices almost every year. At this point, Apple has a well established speech, if new products come out, it is not necessarily for them to buy them every time … the main thing is to think about recycling at that time. A very skim vision of a certain circular economy, from the environmental aspect to the design of the product to the last gesture.
A trip that Apple also hopes to show leadership that inspires others. “We want to show what we believe is necessary and we have always tried to work hard, tell the story to our counterparts to advance these questions and that can understand. It is difficult to ignore the problems, they are pressing and of undisputed news,” summarizes Lisa Jackson.
The 2030 goal is quickly approaching, Apple knows it and does not intend to free its efforts, even in a complicated time throughout the Atlantic. But Apple maintains its course. Climate scientists point to total carbon neutrality for 2050. Lisa Jackson promises that 2030 is not an end and that efforts will continue further. “Once you are committed, we cannot stop and we will continue working very hard beyond 2030, 2050.” In these green and forest valleys, between Sequoïas and Ratans-Laveurs, Apple is dedicated to a speed race to the rhythm of nature, an endless marathon …
Source: BFM TV
