Image rights: Apple Inc.
It’s October 2020, and while almost all of us are dealing with some form of lockdown or COVID–19 restriction, Lisa Jackson is on the roof of Apple Park. It is that year’s crucial iPhone keynote address, and Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives is explaining how, by 2030, “we plan to have Net Zero climate impact across our entire business.” She points out previous environmental progress the firm has made and announces new developments, for instance that the magnets in the iPhone 12 use 100% recycled rare earth elements. Oh, and EarPods headphones and power adapters are no longer going to be included in the box with a new iPhone, helping to reduce packaging, materials required, and carbon emissions. Apple had long talked about its environmental concerns, but for many that was the moment the commitment became clear. The company was literally shouting about it from the rooftops!