Apple Moves on Environment, Hires Former Head of EPA

Lisa Jackson, who recently left her post as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, has landed a fantastic job.

She has taken a job with Apple and will report directly to CEO Tim Cook as Vice President for Environmental Initiatives. That puts her in charge of environmental policy at Apple.

Working at Apple will surely be a relief from the grief she received during her four years in the Obama Administration. Anything she attempted to accomplish was the subject of endless lawsuits and recriminations from the GOP.

"Apple has shown how innovation can drive real progress by removing toxics from its products, incorporating renewable energy in its data center plans, and continually raising the bar for energy efficiency in the electronics industry. I look forward to helping support and promote these efforts, as well as leading new ones in the future aimed at protecting the environment," Jackson told the Washington Post. 

Apple has been making impressive gains on the environmental front in the past few years. All its data centers now run solely on renewable energy and it’s on track to power the company as a whole on renewables, from 75% today.

Last year, Apple added biogas-powered fuel cells and solar PV at its Cupertino headquarters, while also reducing energy consumption by 30% from the previous year.

In Maiden, North Carolina, Apple has completed the biggest corporate-owned solar PV (25 MW) and fuel cell system (10 MW), which are now supplying 60% of the energy for the $1 billion LEED-Platinum data center, its largest yet. Apple is purchasing renewable energy from nearby facilities to make up the rest.

The company plans to build solar charging capability directly into the iPhone.

However, Climate Counts gave it a mediocre rating for its lack of attention to measuring and disclosing emissions.

After criticizing Apple for many years for its energy use and hazardous materials in products, Gary Cook of Greenpeace says,"Apple has made a bold move in hiring Lisa Jackson, a proven advocate with a track record of combating toxic
waste and the dirty energy that causes global warming, two of Apple’s biggest challenges as it continues to grow. Jackson can make Apple the top environmental leader in the tech sector by helping the company use its influence to push electric utilities and governments to provide the clean energy that both Apple
and America need right now."

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Comments on “Apple Moves on Environment, Hires Former Head of EPA”

  1. Marlene Meyer

    Congratulations to Apple and Lisa Jackson.
    Along with looking at energy use, I am also hoping that Lisa looks at all the electronic trash and pollution Apple is sending overseas. It is not fair to let our overconsumption ruin other countries with our metal pollution. Children play in these dumps. Thank you!

    Reply

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