From Ecopedia

Overview

Apple iPad is an advanced tablet computer launched in January, 2010 by the Apple Inc.

Apple iPad, which is in between laptop computer and smartphone categories, functions similar to an iPod touch or an iPhone but with a more advanced and powerful operating system(iPhone OS). ^[1]

Apple iPad supports many advanced features such as:

• An advanced user interface with a larger 25 cm (9.7-inch) LED backlit multiple-touch display screen
• 16-64 GB (gigabytes) flash memory
• Bluetooth
• 30-pin dock connector to synchronize with iTunes and connect with wired accessories as well
• Internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Environmental Information

The newly launched Apple iPad design embodies the company’s ongoing environmental progress. Many features of the product are specifically designed to minimize environmental impacts, some of which include:

· Mercury-free LCD display · Arsenic-free display glass · BFR-free · PVC-free,and · Recyclable glass and aluminum enclosure Apple iPad also adheres to most of the environmental requirements such as: · Maximum operating altitude of 3000 m (10,000 feet) · 5% to 95% of noncondensing relative humidity · Operating temperatures ranging from 0° to 35° C (32° to 95° F) · Nonoperating temperatures ranging between -20° and 45° C (-4° and 113° F) ^[2]

Greenpeace Criticism

Greenpeace, a leading environmental activists group, strongly criticized Apple’s iPad for using environmentally-harmful cloud computing in the product design.

Cloud computing technology is an advanced internet technology that allows computer users to gain access to a “cloud” of web-enabled online networking services such as video streaming and other social networking sites including the Facebook. One major drawback of the technology is that cloud computing is found to leave a much bigger carbon footprint compared to other computing technologies.

Increased reliance on cloud computing for various online services would, thus, inevitably result in a greater demand for non-renewable coal-power, which is a major cause for the dreadful global warming phenomenon.

Greenpeace advocates that quintessential cloud computing devices such as the Apple’s iPad tablet would lead to the creation of larger carbon footprints as against the previous estimations.

Moreover, looking at the current trend of ever-increasing electric power consumption rates of the data centers and telecomm networks, which consumed around 1,963 billion KW hours of electric power in 2020, Apple iPad is sure to record high electricity consumption rates. Greenpeace opines that such high consumption levels would only contribute to the already increasing global warming pollution.

Furthermore, Greenpeace targeted Apple iPad for using toxic chemicals in the product. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

References

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad
2. ↑ http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
3. ↑ http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/the-ipad-internet-climate-change-100329
4. ↑ http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/03/31/apple-ipad-greenpeace-becomes-enemy-over-carbon-footprints/
5. ↑ http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/31/greenpeace_criticizes_apple_for_carbon_footprint_of_ipad_cloud.html