Apple Is One of the Heaviest Coal Users in the Industry (VIDEO)

Gizmodo ^

[matt04]

Apple's pretty products do a good job distracting from the bleak reality of how they're made. As we've learned from the Foxconn debacle, that means sub-standard working conditions. But it's not just people that are affected, but also the environment.

Built to support iCloud, Apple's new billion-dollar data center in Maiden, North Carolina is another strike against the world's most valuable company. In fact, the behemoth, which is one of the largest such facilities on the planet, is powered mostly by coal, through Duke Energy. Even though Cupertino is building a solar farm down the road from the data center, that renewable source only accounts for 10 percent of its juice.

Apple is one of the worst offenders in the industry when it comes to the use of clean energy. Greenpeace estimates that just 15.3 percent of Apple's energy is clean, while 55.1 percent is powered by coal. That figure makes it the heaviest user of this dirty power out of any other tech company. Google by contrast uses 28.7 percent coal, with 39.4 percent of its energy classified as clean, and for Facebook, those figures are 39.4 percent and 36.4 percent respectively.

[matt04]

A video from the "Climate Desk" finds an activist from NC WARN whose stated goal is to shut down current and stop new coal plants has determined that using coal to power said Apple data center will cause "big, big problems."

To try to appease these activists, Apple is building a 100 acre solar array, to power a whopping 10% of their data center. Unfortunately, they can't find any residents of Maiden who are opposed to coal or cheap power which brigs jobs.

[Drill Thrawl]

But remember that electric cars are clean.

[The Electrician]

Even though Cupertino is building a solar farm down the road from the data center, that renewable source only accounts for 10 percent of its juice.

Translation: Apple may feel a need to placate the leftist fringe (which forms a substantial portion of their customer base), but they're not stupid.

[bray]

Since we are cooling as a climate we may want to produce more CO2.

Pray for America

[EyeGuy]

Coal? That uncool energy for the unenlightened, non-progressive and backward?

Man, that ain’t hip.

Man.

[Gator113]

Greenpeace estimates blah, blah, blah.....

Then take away their damn phones and let them wipe their butts with corncobs.

[Swordmaker]

This Article from GIZMODO is so full of ignorant and inaccurate FUD bile, it's hard to know where to start—PING!

The first paragraph about FoxConn's bad working conditions has been shot down in flames many times... in fact, independent auditors found it was better than others by far, and the claims of suicides were found to be based on flawed statistics, and in fact the rate was FAR BELOW the national average for the age group!

Now, they use Greenpeace as an unbiased source to condemn Apple's use of energy in North Carolina, and Gizmodo swallows it hook, line, and sinker?

Apple FUD Ping!

Please, No Flame Wars!
Discuss technical issues, software, and hardware.
Don't attack people!
Don't respond to the Anti-Apple Thread Trolls!
PLEASE IGNORE THEM!!!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[Eagle of Liberty]

Sooooo, the greenies must have just loved Steve Jobs and not so much Apple itself?

[freekitty]

Everyone knows anything green is a money laundering operation.

[EyeGuy]

“Built to support iCloud, Apple’s new billion-dollar data center in Maiden, North Carolina is another strike against the world’s most valuable company. In fact, the behemoth, which is one of the largest such facilities on the planet, is powered mostly by coal, through Duke Energy. Even though Cupertino is building a solar farm down the road from the data center, that renewable source only accounts for 10 percent of its juice.”

###

Yo clueless Green Weenie:

- Give up ALL your cool tech toys or shut the F up.

- Using coal is not a “strike against them”.

- “Behemoth” is used to disparage. Big is not bad. What do you want them operating in small, scattered dirt floor third world shacks.

- “10% from solar” my ass. They will be VERY lucky to power 5% of the plant with the utter and consistent failure that is solar energy.

[FlyVet]

On top of this, they have an evil 40% gross profit margin, and use dollar-an-hour labor. It’s a good thing they’re not an oil company, or Maxine Waters and Dear Leader would take them over and socialize them.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

But remember that electric cars are clean.

Everyone knows that! So Apple can make up for this by just inducing its employees at the facility to drive to work in Chevy Volt automobiles!

You’re brilliant!

[Drill Thrawl]

Don’t forget the 81 BILLION dollars they have in overseas banks. Such evil, evil profits.

[Drill Thrawl]

The question is does the Volt have a big enough battery to get from one end of the property to the other.

But I am concerned about the 100 acres of trees they cut down to build their solar farm.

[Gator113]

Swordmaker, I would appreciate your guidance/opinion on an unrelated matter.

I want an iPhone, but I don’t know if I should get a 4 or if I should wait for the 5 that I read might come out this summer.

I screwed myself on the iPad by not researching enough before buying. 6 weeks after buying my iPad, iPad 2 was released.

Anyway, your thoughts on this would be appreciated.... so would any other FReepers that are knowledgeable on the subject.

[EyeGuy]

The Unchanging Law of Tech:

As soon as you buy Model XL+, Model XL+ Ultra will come out the very next day.

Don’t sweat it.

[matt04]

Give up ALL your cool tech toys or shut the F up.

The useful idiot Greenpeace members were not told that their cool toys were made in China or Japan where particularly in China environmental regulations are non-existent. Greenpeace leaders also forgot to tell their useful idiots about the horrible pollution in China.

[beethovenfan]

Good. Coal is a cheap source of energy. F the enviro-wackos.

[Gator113]

I know, but I still sweat it. ;>)

[Gator113]

I should have included that increased battery life is my main concern/interest.