Apple Launches Eco-Friendly Version of Apple Watch

Apple launches an environmentally friendly Apple Watch. (photo: dock. apple)

JAKARTA - Apple on Tuesday 12 September announced that its three Apple Watch models will be available in what it calls an environmentally friendly version with a new green logo on the box. This is thanks to the use of renewable energy in its factories and the delivery of hours on fewer flights.

Apple targets their products to be carbon neutral by 2030, including their supply chain. The biggest reduction in emissions in these new watches comes from the use of clean electricity in their manufacturing process.

On Tuesday, Apple announced that 300 of its suppliers have now committed to using clean energy in the manufacturing process, a major source of emissions in making the Apple Watch.

But another source of emissions is Apple's rapid transportation network, which relies heavily on airplanes. Apple was a pioneer in using planes to transport consumer electronics from factories in China to their destinations around the world, helping reduce the inventory it needed to hold and increasing its profits.

"For these three new watches, half of the shipments by weight, from factory to destinations such as regional distribution centers, will be via ship, rail, or other non-air methods that burn less fuel and create fewer carbon emissions that heated it up," Apple executives said in an interview at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California.

"Shipping by ship has 1/20 the emissions of shipping by air," executives said at a product launch event on Tuesday, quoted by Reuters.

The three green-label versions of the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will have lower emissions than Apple's baseline estimate based on previous products, and Apple will purchase carbon credits for remaining emissions, said Lisa Jackson, head of environmental efforts and corporate governance.

"In theory, we could do it (buy credits), and everything would be carbon neutral, but we want to be absolutely clear that we are taking action in everything we know to reduce (emissions) with existing technology," Jackson said.

The company previously said that its Series 8 watches created 33 kg (73 lb) of carbon emissions, from raw materials to delivery to end customers.

The more environmentally friendly aluminum Series 9 watches with sport loop bracelets will have 8.1 kg (18 lb) of emissions remaining after Apple's changes, and the company will cover the remainder by purchasing carbon credits. This compares to 29 kg (64 lb) emissions for the standard stainless steel version of the Series 9 with the same strap.

Apple has focused on reducing carbon emissions for a long time. All new watches, including the standard edition, also use special aluminum and titanium alloys made from recycled materials and batteries that contain only recycled cobalt, a mineral whose mining raises climate and human rights concerns.

"We definitely plan to roll it out in more Apple products in the future," John Ternus, the company's head of hardware engineering, told Reuters. "As we go forward and communicate with suppliers about these recycled material supply chains, we find that we're usually the first to talk to them about it."

This watch with a green label will be sold at the same price as the standard version. Executives did not comment directly on whether they would be less profitable than standard ones, but Jackson said that Apple was focused on making changes that the company and other businesses could adopt in the future.

"To make this repeatable, it can't be at a premium, because most businesses are willing to make changes, but they need to still be able to run the business making money, paying their workers and buying their ingredients," Jackson said.