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San Fran to Apple: Sorry, But We Can’t Possibly Buy Your Computers Now That They’re Not ‘Green’ Certified

Jul. 11, 2012 8:12pm Becket Adams

SAN FRANCISCO (The Blaze/AP) — Apple’s decision to withdraw from a voluntary environmental ratings registry known EPEAT [Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool] has prompted San Francisco to stop buying its computers.

“We are disappointed that Apple chose to withdraw from EPEAT,” said Melanie Nutter, director of San Francisco’s Department of Environment, according to the Wall Street Journal, “and we hope that the city saying it will not buy Apple products will make Apple reconsider its participation.”

Francis Tsang, spokesman for Mayor Edwin Lee’s office, says the city’s rules require that laptops, computers and monitors comply with the registry’s requirements.

However, the decision does not apply to iPads or iPhones.

San Francisco’s chief information officer, Jon Walton, who oversees the city’s computer procurement, told CIO Journal that he supports a no-Apple policy. He added that if agencies really, really need Apple computers, they can always apply for waivers. However, he added, it would be a “long” and “onerous” process.

Seriously? Agency workers will need a waiver to get an Apple computer?

“It’s going to be very problematic to procure Apple products,” Walton said.

Late last month, Apple Inc. told the nonprofit EPEAT to remove its products from its registry. It also plans to stop submitting its products to EPEAT for environmental ratings.

EPEAT is an industry standard that seeks to make it easier for customers to buy environmentally friendly electronics. Manufacturers still participating include Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Samsung, and Sony.

Although it pulled out of the environmental registry, Apple has long pointed to its environmental track record. On the “environment” section of its website, Apple says it “reports environmental impact comprehensively. We do this by focusing on our products: what happens when we design them, what happens when we make them, and what happens when you take them home and use them.”

For example, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has replaced many of the hazardous materials in its gadgets with less harmful and more recyclable ones, and has designed longer-life batteries for its computers, media players and phones. Its recycling program offers gift cards to people who send in their old Apple gadgets for recycling.

At this writing, it’s not entirely clear why Apple decided to withdraw from EPEAT.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Comments (87)

Republic_of_Texas
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 10:26pm
I think it is an Apple marketing ploy. Makes me want to buy another one.

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- Maji
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 1:41am
  The truth of the statement “they can’t buy” they’re broke!
  It’s not green.. or..They have no green!
  
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- grandmaof5
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 6:01am
  Hopefully Apple will tell them they are “sorry” and move on; then SF can try to find some other company to extort, or just do without. That would be a novel idea!
  
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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 12:20pm
  O’broke-ma never pays a diner-bill or is his brother’s keeper. So, do you think commie/prog Frisco or any other Cala-broke-nia democrat-forever-run state is going to pay Apple when their bill comes due?? Apple is sorry it ever did business with Cala-broke-nia. Wonder how many other commi/dem states are scofflaws(non-payers) for Apple to get stiffed from?! The public UNION sector is ripe-and-stankey and prides itself on not-paying so their leaders get their graft-raises on time. Oh, the less-than-slave Union-peon-worker BETTER PAY YOUR DUES to support your local(and not-so-local) commie-polititions to keep the graft comming-in. Soon the tapped-out “public$$” will be zero an you all (lemming-worker bees) out of a job with no nuthin’ and the Union-leaders will make-out no-matter-what.
  
  Report this comment
- ccfonten
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 12:32pm
  What is San Fran going to use now? Pencils…nope that uses lead or graphite…..paper?…nope….save the trees!…word of mouth?….nope…..OMG!……..think of the CO2 expelled????!!!!
  I know…………just shut up.
  
  Report this comment
- TexasHunter
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 3:48pm
  Who Cares what San Fran does ! They elected rubber face twice ! Get a clue Cali !!
  
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- anomnomnommm
  Posted on July 13, 2012 at 1:04am
  Recycling is a scam! It’s Obama’s fault! God save us all.
  
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ULYSSESG
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 10:23pm
So funny, liberals NEVER EVER think it through, so dumb…..hope that POS of a state falls into total collapse…not far with 3 cities claiming now going under,….HEY L.A. your NEXT………….EF CALI…

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- lukerw
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 12:03am
  Then… the Federal Government will Bail it out, with your Tax Dollars… and the Californians will move to another State, and do it all over again! See the Solution?
  
  Report this comment
Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 10:01pm
SF is a member of the criminal extortion racket called green. It’s the same as any gang. Threaten and extort from the wage earners. Thugs they are.

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HKS
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:54pm
Gee, it would be a shame if apple took offense and relocated its operations out of California.

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- biohazard23
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 4:42am
  Wouldn’t it just? :)
  
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- jethrObama
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 3:09pm
  This will never ever happen. Steve Jobs loved Cupertino and they are building a huge spaceship shaped disk-like campus there on the old HP campus that will exceed the size of the pentagon.
  
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aposematic
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:50pm
Come on Apple, get back in the game and start kicking some of your income to the greenies again.

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- Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:59pm
  The green industry is just another criminal enterprise operating an extortion racket to pay into or else be cut off by it’s members. These are gangs no different than MS13 or the Hells Angels. They are all the same. SF is a green gang member. Most likely your local gov. is too along with your local police department are gangs. They all wear their gang colors and drive their gang vehicles and use their gang courts to collect their gang revenue or tax. Amerika is not free and you are a slave just like a free range chicken. Your eggs are taken from you and in the end you are plucked and cooked. Hope you enjoy the liberty.
  
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- 1947
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 11:10pm
  Apple let the buyers us the EBT card they will buy then
  
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- anomnomnommm
  Posted on July 13, 2012 at 1:07am
  This has nothing to do with the government. Labels like these simply allow consumers to make informed decisions about what they are buying. They may opt out of the standard and the consumers may purchase products accordingly. San Francisco is just one more buyer. “Made in USA” labels are the same thing.
  
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garbagecanlogic
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:44pm
Some people refer to San Fran as the arsehole of the world. Actually it is the “looney toon town” of the world.

Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8

The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

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TimeToLoadThePitchforks
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:32pm
SO before long Kalifornia will be nothing but Illegal aliens and pot heads. Oh wait that already happened. they even have one of the later as a governor…..nevermind

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Dallasmarine
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:23pm
Welcome to Texas Apple. You will be very happy here as long as you stay within the city limits of Austin. Less taxes,regulations, but still the kooks that I know you would have missed.. The best of both worlds.

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- Doug-a-Hole-Diggin-out
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 10:57pm
  They would do better just outside the Austin City Limits, less taxes, even less regs…..
  
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SolitudeBliss
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:23pm
I’m sorry but is S.F.’s ego so big that they think they are Apple’s only customer??????

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Like the City depts not buying Apple products will do anything for Apple’s sales. That’s almost as delusional as thinking that you can tax your way out of our deficit problem. Hate to break it to you San Fran – Your purchase doesn’t make a difference in Hell so you can go to Hell. And take your commie registry on “Green Products” and shove it where the sun don’t shine.

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- christhefanatic
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:31pm
  No, don,t shove it there. This is San Francisco we,re talking about. They would enjoy that.
  
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- SolitudeBliss
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 10:01pm
  @christhefanatic – Good one….
  
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- Stoic one
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 1:19am
  christhefanatic
  
  Now that is Hilarious!
  
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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 12:26pm
  Hell is the only place one can NOT declare bankruprcy!! :-)
  
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- jethrObama
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 3:13pm
  You hit the nail on the head about kalifornian’s… not all, but a good many of them think they are the “trend setters” of the modern world. Makes me want to puke. The latest is their over-priced billion dollar high speed train between S.F. and L.A. which out to the final nail in their bankrupt coffin.
  
  If the democrats are in power in 2013, we will be bailing California out federally.
  
  If the republicans (RINO’s too) are in power, maybe we can tell Commifornia to “go fish.”
  
  Report this comment
scrudge
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:11pm
Ah Yes… who cares soon they will also declare bankrupcy…. let the illegals have the state

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TX_45_ACP
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:06pm
I hope Apple calls their bluff. Not having their Apple is like not having their Starbucks.

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- SolitudeBliss
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:19pm
  Ain’t that the truth, also like not having a homeless person on every corner.
  
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- stumpy68
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:42pm
  Does that mean they will have to use a (gasp) PC
  
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- Stoic one
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 1:21am
  Starbucks.
  
  Do they sell coffee??
  
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jnw325
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:05pm
“Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it EPEAT… I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer’s sake, for your daughter’s sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me.”

Taken from the movie Tommy Boy……. sort of

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Legal Immigrant
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:59pm
Apple.

Do like Ronnie Barrett did when the LAPD used their M82 in a “guns are bad anti-gun message”.

Drop CA like a hot potato. People will still buy the product if they want it.

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Wolfgang the Gray
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:51pm
“However, the decision does not apply to iPads or iPhones.”

Double standard hypocrisy. They don’t even have the balls to stand up for what they believe.

San Fransicko doesn’t need computers anyway, they can just let the illegal aliens count up the debt on their fingers and toes.

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Tortilla
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:50pm
My next computer’s gonna be a Mac. Heck, I’m typing this on an iPad, but I was planning on sticking with a PC until I heard Apple’s screwing EPEAT. Right on, screw those self righteous power hungry controlling fools!

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yiska8
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:49pm
I will now look into buying a Mac for Christmas. I loathe the potlitical green agenda and environmental whack jobs. I think Apple is overblown/hyped marketing wise, but now that they are realizing the unecessary expense of this green *ullshit scam, I have mustered up some respect for the company. San Fran is a complete joke. Hippies, the gay agenda, and the green wackos. Apple Inc., you are more than welcome in Texas. Microsoft just moved a huge data center to San Antonio.

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- chips1
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 12:11am
  If they move to Texas, they should refuse to sell to California. That would increase their sales in all of the other states.
  
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- yiska8
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 3:11pm
  @Chips1
  Damn straight. Instead of worrying about this stupid issue, Cali should be *hitting bricks about where they heck they are going to find more clean WATER and energy. Most central California towns are out of water. No fruit. No veggies. No Food. Most definitely, other states would buy Apple products.just knowing that the imbecile Californians are dropping the product.
  
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FloridaFarmGirl
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:48pm
Anyone from California considering moving to Florida-PLEASE DON’T!!! We have had too many liberals moving here because they hate where they are from, only to vote for more government and more taxes to turn my state into what they fled from. Never ending vicious cycle that makes no sense. Go elsewhere please, we have had enough.

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- TimeToLoadThePitchforks
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:28pm
  What’s new Yankees have been doing that to Florida (might as well rename it New York South) for decades why should it be any different for the loony tunes from whacky town (kalifornia)
  
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- christhefanatic
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:42pm
  Message from California: Anyone out there….please nuke us!
  
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Epic Fail
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:46pm
So what are they going to switch to? Some politician opened their big stupid mouth before they thought it through. They will continue to use Apple becuase they have nothing to switch to and becuase they are liberals.

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essence428
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:41pm
Nice. Apple is saying “I will not comply.” Let’s hope they stand their ground and others follow.

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Too_Far_Gone
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:28pm
This is past the point of anything to be taken seriously, let them have their pathetic little side shows and burn themselves out, unless they get in your face, then stomp their whining little azzes…

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- its_time_to_arrest_our_government
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:48pm
  if i was apple i wouldn’t sell them anything. Id put them in a pile and trash them before i sold them anything. id say that their green is not green enough to buy our computers. go screw a goat!
  
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MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:27pm
Who really trust those rating agencies anyways like the BBB you can always buy your own ratings or get a poor rating when you don’t pay the extortion demands.

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N37BU6
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:21pm
Apple could bail out your filthy broken city with its pocket change… sit down. Nobody cares.

And I don’t even like Apple products.

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Lord_Frostwind
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:18pm
Hey Apple, how is that friendship with the leftist loonies working out for you?

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- Wolfgang the Gray
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:44pm
  That is hilarious! /8-))
  
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republic2011
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:17pm
Frickin politicians in CA. We are bankrupt and the beggars are still trying to be choosers. Apple should run laughing to the bank. CA politicians are putz’s.

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- JULIKINS209
  Posted on July 12, 2012 at 11:39am
  I agree, I hail from Stockton CA and I am embarassed to tell people where I live. Us conservatives are drowning in Political BS. Now our politicians just passed a bill not to deport illegals. And they want my vote for higher taxes. What idiots. The sad thing is the liberals will vote it in. I would love to move to a more conservative state.
  
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paperpushermj
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:17pm
copied post from JoeBatters •
.
Well then … If I were Apple, I would announce that we are moving the Mac show away from the Moscone Center in SF and to Las Vegas.

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- Chuck C.
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:43pm
  Moving out of Mexifornia would be a wise move……they would recoup their moving cost very quickly getting away from all of the taxes and tariffs……….This is a no brainer….up your profit forecast……move.
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on July 11, 2012 at 8:45pm
  That would be the best idea.
  
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