Filed under: Apple Corporate, Apple
Greenpeace praises Apple's US Chamber of Commerce exit
Greenpeace has decided they'll get more attention from praising Apple than by trying to bury it.The environmental organization is singing hosannas and heysannas to the Cupertino-company for taking a green stand and resigning from the US Chamber of Commerce. Apple walked away from the organization on Monday over Chamber actions seen by Apple as opposing efforts to limit greenhouse gases.
Chamber President Thomas Donohue says his organization does want to see "legislation to address climate change," though the Chamber is against current proposals that, he says, will "significantly raise energy prices, (and) throw more Americans out of work."
Greenpeace revels in the kerfuffle, saying in a post on its website, "Apple has stormed out of the biggest lobby group in the United States. At issue is the US Chamber of Commerce's use of funds to oppose climate change legislation. Apple has done the right thing, and IBM and Microsoft should think different too." (See what they did there?)
The environmental organization says the Chamber should consider the number of jobs that would be created by helping clean up the environment. It's hard to see these two groups hugging it out.
Still, it's praise and adoration for Apple, with the "save the whales" set saying, "The stakes have never been higher for the climate. Apple's move will throw an uncomfortable spotlight on any company that stays on in the Chamber but doesn't act to change its policies."
Interesting. I wonder if Apple thought of that.
[via cnet]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bobby Dale said 10:24AM on 10-09-2009
If Apple Inc. is so concerned about the environment; why are most all of their products manufactured in China?
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Mattazuma said 11:25AM on 10-09-2009
Most?
I don't think they build anything in the US.
BuddyBoy said 12:23PM on 10-09-2009
Where do you suggest they build them?
No matter where you build a factory it's going to pollute the air and your going to have to ship them internationally, so you'll still have the environmentally cost of the freight no matter where you build.
Rocky said 10:32AM on 10-09-2009
Gotta' love the Greenpeace hype: Apple "stormed out" of the Chamber of Commerce. I'm sure that they did. . . not.
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Dale said 10:42AM on 10-09-2009
I would like to storm into this post and agree with your comment.
Ryan Ellerbe said 12:15AM on 10-10-2009
I really don't want to be a citizen of the world anymore. All this stuff is BS. Let's actually do something about something that is real and not made up.
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Franz said 11:43AM on 10-09-2009
Is it news that Greenpeace is prone to hyperbole? However, I think Apple's incremental moves toward environmental responsibility should be encouraged. More importantly, Microsoft, IBM and others need to stand up to the anti-environmental mission of the Chamber of Commerce. The chamber's response to Apple was patently absurd and disingenuous. Someone needed to support Apple's stance and Greenpeace is appropriate.
As for Apple manufacturing in China, though I'd rather have products made in the US, believe it or not manufacturing in China and shipping by freighter is greener than the domestic shipping by truck that happens afterward. The largest CO2 reduction can be achieved independent of where the products are made.
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Actionable Mango said 1:27PM on 10-09-2009
Will Apple's move to leave the Chamber of Commerce block Palm Pre from syncing with iTunes?
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Vince said 4:37PM on 10-09-2009
People should recognize that the Chamber knows what they're talking about: the Cap & Tax legislation currently in debate (pending the current health care fiasco) would raise energy prices enormously, which is going to lower real wages, shrink the economy, and cost jobs. Then, there won't be enough money for these oft-touted yet rarely-seen "Green jobs" that Greenfreakingpeace is talking about.
Government involvement in economy = bad.
I'm guessing they were asleep in Economics class.
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Christopher Johnson said 5:07PM on 10-09-2009
Hmmm. Higher energy prices or climate catastrophes. That's a tough call.
By the way. The Chamber does not know what they are talking about. First they lied about the science of global warming. Second, they dont include the rebates that help people pay for higher energy and the incentives going to industries that create renewable power, increase efficiencies, and create new jobs from that. Cap and Trade has MUCH more than just cap and trade in it.
That being said, I would rather have a simple to understand carbon tax with a simultaneous lowering of income tax. It would be revenue neutral. But that isn what is happening.
Vince said 5:10PM on 10-09-2009
Of course it's not what's happening. This is the government manipulating the economy again, which is the exact thing which led to the market meltdown we experienced in '08.
Oh, and "science of global warming"; are you serious?? It's so absurd, that even the Greenies have switched their tune to calling it "Climate Change" instead. Kinda' embarrassing when your globe starts cooling when you're claiming that it's warming, so why not just go halfway and call it "Climate Change."
Boy oh boy, no wonder the Liberals just love our pathetic education system!
Franz said 6:17PM on 10-09-2009
Wow Vince! That is some seriously nutty libertarian BS.
Vince said 7:58PM on 10-09-2009
Well, I suppose to those uninformed to the ins and outs of economics, Constitutional law and liberty, one might consider what I said as "BS." However, there are those of us, not indoctrinated by the federal government, that know better.
Christopher Johnson said 10:28PM on 10-09-2009
Hey Vince. I understand you do not understand. So I brought in some people with a little more clout than you that might be able to help out:
These ain’t no hippies:
NASA:
http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/
“Most scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the "greenhouse effect" -- warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.”
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/ocp2009/ocp2009-ccsp.htm
“Climate research conducted over the past several years indicates that most of the global warming experienced in the past few decades is very likely due to the observed increase in greenhouse gas concentrations from human activities.”
AGU (American Geophysical Union)
http://www.agu.org/outreach/science_policy/positions/climate_change2008.shtml
“The Earth's climate is now clearly out of balance and is warming. Many components of the climate system—including the temperatures of the atmosphere, land and ocean, the extent of sea ice and mountain glaciers, the sea level, the distribution of precipitation, and the length of seasons—are now changing at rates and in patterns that are not natural and are best explained by the increased atmospheric abundances of greenhouse gases and aerosols generated by human activity during the 20th century.”
And on, and on, and on. Universities, Global Panels, Space Programs, Government science programs, as well as privately funded institutions – over, and over, and over again, explain this situation to the public.
Literally thousands of reputable warnings.
Bob said 7:03PM on 10-10-2009
The US Chamber of Commerce supports ALL energy projects. See their "Project/No Project" website...
http://pnp.uschamber.com/
They label ALL opposition to ALL energy projects as NIMBY -- even projects that violate industry best practices and that are opposed by a sovereign federal government (such as the LNG projects in Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine: Downeast LNG and Calais LNG).
Here's a quote from the US Chamber's Project/No Project homepage screed:
"These 'Not In My Back Yard' folks, or NIMBYs as they are called, block energy projects by organizing local opposition, changing zoning laws, opposing permits, filing lawsuits, and bleeding projects dry of their financing. And far from just blocking modern coal plants; THE TRUTH IS THAT THEY REALLY DON'T WANT A WIND FARM OR ANY OTHER ENERGY SOURCE EITHER." (Emphasis added.)
The US Chamber takes a build anything anywhere position, ignoring good sense.
Other large corporations that disagree with the US Chamber's policy on energy and climate...
Quit the US Chamber board...
• Nike
Large Power Utility Companies that have quit membership...
• Exelon Corp.
• PNM Resources
• Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
Companies that have stated the US Chamber does not represent their views on energy and climate...
• Alcoa
• Caterpillar
• ConocoPhillips
• Dow
• Duke Energy
• General Electric
• Johnson&Johnson
• Levi Strauss & Co.
• Microsoft
• San Jose Chamber of Commerce
• Siemens
• Xerox
Christopher Johnson said 10:35PM on 10-09-2009
Hey Vince. I understand you do not understand. So I brought in some people with a little more clout to help. These ain’t no hippies:
NASA:
http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/
“Most scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the "greenhouse effect" -- warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.”
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/ocp2009/ocp2009-ccsp.htm
“Climate research conducted over the past several years indicates that most of the global warming experienced in the past few decades is very likely due to the observed increase in greenhouse gas concentrations from human activities.”
AGU (American Geophysical Union) http://www.agu.org/outreach/science_policy/positions/climate_change2008.shtml
“The Earth's climate is now clearly out of balance and is warming. Many components of the climate system—including the temperatures of the atmosphere, land and ocean, the extent of sea ice and mountain glaciers, the sea level, the distribution of precipitation, and the length of seasons—are now changing at rates and in patterns that are not natural and are best explained by the increased atmospheric abundances of greenhouse gases and aerosols generated by human activity during the 20th century.”
And on, and on, and on. Universities, Global Panels, Space Programs, Government science programs, as well as privately funded institutions – over, and over, and over again, explain this situation to the public. Literally thousands of reputable warnings.
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Christopher Johnson said 11:14PM on 10-09-2009
Sorry for the double post. How do I erase?
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Ryan Ellerbe said 12:30AM on 10-10-2009
Hey Chris they also said that it was to late to do anything about it. Hmmm seems weird that someone would destroy a industry to limit green house gases when no matter what we do it won't help. The whole thing is to take control of energy and make stuff like wind power affordable by raping the energy sources that actually can stand on there own. Oil is what drives the ecomonic engine of the world and I think we are getting close to the point where, if the USA doesn't start drilling for are own oil we are doomed.
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Christopher Johnson said 2:59AM on 10-10-2009
Ryan, that isn't true. You might be confusing two different ideas. What has been said by the science is that there will probably be a plateau in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, even if we move to zero emissions, because it takes about a thousand years to dissipate. That means any negative effects associated with that level of CO2 will continue. But understand, it keeps things from getting WORSE. You see? There is a difference between "not getting better" and "not getting worse".. A big difference. And here is the science behind that.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090126_climate.html
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/01/28/0812721106.abstract
Trent said 8:44AM on 10-10-2009
Global Warming is a big fat hoax. It is the new religion of the world urban elites who want to destroy businesses, jobs and families by massively driving up the cost of costs of goods and services squeezing middle class budgets and increasing poverty.
How many jobs has Greenpeace produced with their businesses? Oh yea, that's right...they are a special interest lobbying group that goes around destroying, terrorizing and setting businesses on fire like they did with the vehicle dealerships out in CA that produced more CO2 from the fire than the vehicles themselves would have caused...IDIOTS!
I am all about the environment and do so by recycling reducing landfills cause land is limited. However, global warming caused by us humans is not true. The last 450,000 years mother nature as experienced 12 global warming and cooling periods...way before the industrial revolution much less the invention of the car. The last 10 years the earth has been in a cooling period. Again, if we were the cause, the earth would have been on fire by now but it's not.
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