Apple promises to convert to renewable energy after Greenpeace’s pestering

By Anna Norwood
Editorial intern, Spring 2012

Environmental activists at Greenpeace are feeling victorious since Apple’s recent announcement to use entirely renewable sources in the Maiden, North Carolina data center by the end of 2012.

Greenpeace has been pestering Apple for more than a year to commit to renewable energy. If pestering in the form of window washers, black balloons and giant iPods got Apple to make this change; I say more power to Greenpeace. I chuckled while reading about two Greenpeace activists who were arrested for barricading themselves inside of a giant iPod outside of Apple’s headquarters in California while broadcasting messages asking Apple to use renewable energy. Creative.

Anyway, Apple is making a step in the right direction, even if it’s a small step. They say one of their data centers in Newark, Calif., will be “100 percent renewable by February 2013.”

Greenpeace will not be satisfied until Apple, Microsoft and Amazon make renewable energy a priority. I feel like Greenpeace is like that annoying friend who won’t leave Apple alone, and probably won’t stop pestering them until Apple is 100 percent sustainable everywhere.

Apple is making a great effort in dumping coal power, and I hope that other giant corporations will follow suit. Apple has a long way to go to be considered “green,” but the fact that they are taking clean energy seriously is a great starting point.

I think it’s safe to say that Apple’s annoying friend isn’t so bad after all.

About AV's Intern Team

Every year, Appalachian Voices is fortunate to assemble a phenomenal team of rockstar interns from numerous Appalachian and East Coast universities. Enjoy these posts from our interns.