Kudos, Apple!

Recently, Apple pulled out of the EPEAT, to the shock and dismay of people like federal IT buyers that are required to use the green computer registry to guide their purchasing decisions. The move also didn’t help Apple’s reputation when it comes to sustainability, which recently came under assault by Greenpeace.

Today, Apple made a rare reversal and announced that its back on EPEAT — at least its ‘eligible’ products are.

Bob Mansfield, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering for Apple, wrote, “We’ve recently heard from many loyal Apple customers who were disappointed to learn that we had removed our products from the EPEAT rating system. I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT.”

Mansfield also takes the opportunity to remind us that Apple leads the industry in energy efficient computing devices.

“Perhaps most importantly, we make the most energy-efficient computers in the world and our entire product line exceeds the stringent ENERGY STAR 5.2 government standard. No one else in our industry can make that claim,” he states.

Of course, its machines are becoming harder for DIY types to upgrade and repair with each successive generation. Nonetheless, it’s a sign that the tech titan is taking its environmental impact very seriously.