The greenest MacBook ever.
Highly recyclable and even more energy efficient, the new MacBook is designed with the environment in mind.
View a PDF of Apple’sEnvironmental Status Report
Environmental status report
The new 13-inch MacBook embodies Apple’s continuing environmental commitment. It is designed with the following features to reduce its environmental impact:
- Arsenic-free glass
- Brominated flame retardant-free
- Mercury-free
- PVC-free
- 41% smaller packaging
- Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosures
Many harmful toxins eliminated.
Apple has worked hard to eliminate many of the toxins that are a common part of notebook manufacturing. Take, for example, the mercury used in CCFL backlights and the arsenic contained in the glass of traditional LCD displays. Apple engineers removed both by choosing mercury-free LED technology and arsenic-free glass. They also removed brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, shock mounts, adhesives, and more. Apple has removed these toxins from all new MacBook computers, and we’ve done the same for the Apple LED Cinema Display, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPhone 3G.
Highly recyclable.
The MacBook precision unibody enclosure is formed from a single piece of solid, recyclable aluminum, replacing dozens of extraneous parts. The display is made of recyclable glass. Both materials are very desirable to recyclers, which means the raw materials used in the new MacBook computers can be reused in other products.
Reduced packaging.
The new MacBook packaging is up to 41 percent smaller than the previous generation. And smaller boxes are much better for the planet. Because smaller boxes mean we can fit more boxes on each shipping pallet — up to 25 percent more. Which means more products will fit on each boat and plane. Which means fewer boats and planes are used, resulting in fewer CO2 emissions. It’s just one seemingly minor change. But it has a major positive impact on our environment.
More energy efficient.
Because Apple makes both the hardware and the software for the MacBook, we are able to design them to work together. This allows us to make a smarter product that uses less electricity, earning it ENERGY STAR certification. For instance, to reduce energy consumption, the MacBook hard drive spins down automatically when inactive. The MacBook also decides which processor — CPU or GPU — is best suited to efficiently perform a task. The processor even throttles down to save power between keystrokes as you type. The LED-backlit display in the MacBook is another feature that plays an important part in conserving energy, consuming 30 percent less power than conventional LCD displays. And the display is designed to dim when you enter a darkened room. Together, these adjustments make the MacBook family much more energy efficient. In fact, our most popular notebook, the MacBook, can run on just one-quarter the power of a single lightbulb.
The new MacBook LED-backlit display is another environmental breakthrough. LED technology uses 30 percent less power than conventional LCD displays. The LED-backlit display is mercury-free, highly recyclable, and encased in arsenic-free glass.
MacBook meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy, giving it ENERGY STAR certification.
EPEAT Gold
Because MacBook is environmentally innovative, the computers have earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it’s designed and manufactured. Few products achieve EPEAT Gold status — and even fewer notebooks.
A commitment that starts with products.
When it comes to being environmentally friendly, Apple approaches the challenge differently — through products like the new MacBook. Unlike other companies, Apple controls every aspect of the production of its computers. So Apple designers and engineers can minimize their carbon footprint in ways others can’t. They design them with fewer parts. They build them using recyclable materials. They even create software that makes them more energy efficient. The result is a new standard in green design. Read about Apple's environmental commitment in the Apple 2008 Environmental Update
