14 DAY TRIAL // When humans figuratively turn green, it is a sign of health impairment, but when consumer electronics go green, it means that prospective buyers have one extra reason to acquire them.
As most people have probably guessed by now, when we say “green” in this context we mean environmentally-friendly.
EPEAT, the environmental-friendliness assessment tool of the US government, has reached a conclusion in regard to Apple’s MacBook Air and several ultrabooks (five to be precise) from Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba.
EPEAT was concerned that they could have complex environmental issues, but this turned out not to be the case.
The organization also tested the devices according to other criteria, in order to determine whether the products were recyclable enough, and easy to repair.
There might not have been such a high concern regarding these things if Apple hadn't pulled that stunt in July, when it removed its products from the EPEAT list only to put them back later, after a loud outcry.
At any rate, the tests reached the conclusion that all the mobile PCs could be totally disassembled, using common industry tools, in less than 20 minutes.
In this, Apple chose well in designing the latest MacBook Air without the glued-in battery and bonded-to-glass display of the MacBook Pro.
Speaking of which, the laptop, and the ultrabooks, were also found to possess a construction that permitted battery removal in less than 2 minutes (another EPEAt requirement).
Furthermore, the materials that the devices are made of are recyclable, to an acceptable extent at any rate.
“These products had come under close scrutiny in public discussions this past summer,” EPEAT states in its public announcemen. “Products from Apple, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba were investigated in this verification process. All products investigated met the requirements of the criteria reviewed.”
The investigation of the products happened based on product registrations prior to the verification notification, and without notifying the manufacturers in advance. Overall, we can be sure that these devices, and ultrabooks in general really, aren't too much of a threat to the planet.