Apple‘s data centers are now powered 100 percent by renewable energy and 75 percent of their facilities are solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal sources. But unfortunately, the Apple and the Environment report finds that their greenhouse gas emissions have risen by 34 percent (30.9 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions) in 2012.
Apple Insider writes:
The Apple and the Environment report aims to explore Apple’s environmental impact from the production and transport of its products through their use by consumers, as well as the environmental costs associated with the support features Apple provides. The data centers that provide online services to Apple customers, the company says, are now completely powered by renewable energy. Facilities in Austin, Elk Grove, Cork, and Munich, as well as the Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino, now rely on a combination of wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and solar energy to function.
The report states that two percent of Apple’s carbon footprint is from their data centers and facilities, while the remaining 98 percent comes from the manufacture, transport, use, and recycling of its products. And while it’s disappointing to hear of the 34 percent, it’s important to note that Apple cites expanding sales as the cause. In fact, 61 percent of their carbon footprint is caused by manufacturing their products.
