Apple has announced an expansion of its environmental initiatives into China, three weeks after going green for Earth Day. Its a big step towards the company’s ultimate goal of using 100% renewable energy across all its worldwide operations.
The long-term project includes a collaboration with WWF to “significantly increase responsibly managed forests across China”. The program aims to protect 1 million acres of forest to help achieve a net-zero impact on the world’s virgin fiber resources.
This announcement follows a series of pledges about environmental responsibility from Apple, including their first solar project in China, which will generate enough power for every Apple office and retail store in the country – and then some. China is a huge, burgeoning market for consumer tech – last quarter more iPhones were sold there than in the US.
Tim Cook acknowledges the immense scale of such an undertaking, but says that it’s “important work that has to happen” and Apple accept the responsibility. It’s encouraging to see the world’s largest company take such an interest in ‘greening’ their business.
This move is likely to cost Apple a ton of money – the up front and maintenance costs involved will take a long time to repay themselves financially, if ever. Apple is one company who can definitely afford it though – they’re safe to go green without any risk of dipping into the red.
This can only be good news for the world at large – hopefully other companies will follow suit before long.