Apple Launches $200 Million 'Restore Fund' to Remove Carbon From Atmosphere

[DrV]

Great, but...

Any effort to remove CO2 from the atmosphere needs to answer two questions:

1. How much does it cost?
2. How long does it keep the CO2 from the atmosphere?

Of course, there may be technological projects which have the potential to offer low cost carbon sequestration but are expensive in the beginning. Then the answer to the first question is the final cost.

At the moment the cap-and-trade cost of carbon emissions is around $20/tCO2eqv. All carbon capture and sequestration methods this far have been much more expensive.

(Re)forestation has its merits, but its long term carbon capture capacity is constant; certain area can only bind certain amount of carbon. And the very sad thing is that while tropical deforestation is the most significant land use related emission source, tropical reforestation is difficult. It is much more effective and less costly to stop the deforestation.


So, a good idea, but I am slightly sceptic about its efficiency.

 

[DrV]

I just love the people criticizing Apple when I’ll bet not a single person criticizing has donated any money.

Well. I am criticizing Apple for not using the money in the most effective way. And, yes, I have donated money for climate work, and most of my professional career has had something to do with resource efficiency and/or carbon footprint.

 

[m4mario]

Of course because greedy rich shareholders are more important than the planet.

First of all. You and your parent’s retirement fund is in Apple stock. It’s not only rich people who own stock.

Second, it’s illegal to spend someone else’s money. The share holders own the company and it is a legal obligation for the workers of Apple(that includes the CEO) to work for shareholder profitability.

Third, if companies fail, the economy fails and people loose jobs. Since their retirement fund is also gone along with failed companies, a whole lot of people will commit suicide. It’s a moral obligation for Apple to be financially successful.

 

[Cosmosent]

Bravo Apple, it's a start !

 

[pray2crom]

That's great but it will be even more meaningful when apples pulls manufacturing and mining out from countries that lack/don't have environmental safeguards and regulations

 

[sw1tcher]

Is it claimed to offset it?

Did I claim Apple claimed it would offset it?

 

[Mousse]

Apple today announced a "first-of-its-kind carbon removal initiative" called the Restore Fund that will make investments in forestry projects to remove carbon from the atmosphere while generating a financial return for investors.

I guess the for profit portion places it in a class all its own. Replanting a forest ain't the first of its kind carbon removal initiative. Some bloke in India did this some 40 odd years back. I watched a fascinating documentary about him a few years back.

Don't get me wrong. I like that they're gonna finance planting a forest. What I don't like is them bragging about it and making it sound like they did it first. I don't mind that it's for profit.

 

[citysnaps]

I guess the for profit portion places it in a class all its own. Replanting a forest ain't the first of its kind carbon removal initiative. Some bloke in India did this some 40 odd years back. I watched a fascinating documentary about him a few years back.

Don't get me wrong. I like that they're gonna finance planting a forest. What I don't like is them bragging about it and making it sound like they did it first. I don't mind that it's for profit.

I wouldn't characterize it as bragging.

Rather, it's about letting their customers and shareholders know what Apple is doing in that area. As many customers and shareholders choose Apple over other tech companies, partly because of their environmental stance, it makes sense Apple would want to communicate their environmental activities to those people.

 

[macsareveryinteresting]

Awaiting for the trolls to say, “Oh my god, Apple is a trillion dollar company, they should donate MORE!”

As if they ever contributed anything

but for my own opinion, good move Apple!!

But they also need room for the money so they can make other devices.

 

[nwcs]

Then why don't you contribute by not complaining online? You do realise the internet has a huge CO2 footprint as well? Good for Apple: great initiative!

Can you provide me an exact measurement of how my post increased CO2 footprint?

 

[nwcs]

Of course but I got the feeling this is just starting out. Tesla also started a 100 million carbon capture fund. It's time the Silicon Valley rich kids are goin to see this as prestige projects and trying to outbid each other.

It’s nice but it’s still very small, especially as big tech creates a lot of environmental issues through rare earth mining, problems with disposing of electronic goods, etc. It’s better than nothing but I don’t think people see the whole scope of the issue. The first glimpse was what people saw last year with all the lockdowns when air pollution dropped radically and the response to allow corporations to pollute more because COVID.

 

[Td1970]

Good for Apple! Slightly more than $1 per purchase til Earth Day.

Now this will make a difference

Probably not. But nice effort

 

[Td1970]

I wouldn't characterize it as bragging.

Rather, it's about letting their customers and shareholders know what Apple is doing in that area. As many customers and shareholders choose Apple over other tech companies, partly because of their environmental stance, it makes sense Apple would want to communicate their environmental activities to those people.

No it’s the typical Apple PR machine at work.

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

Plants love carbon dioxide. Why does Apple want to strangle Earth's plant life? It's beyond stupid.

 

[citysnaps]

No it’s the typical Apple PR machine at work.

What is wrong with a company wanting to communicate their environmental stance to customers and shareholders; especially since it's that stance that partially contributes to customers choosing Apple products?

 

[BaracksPhallusPalace]

Plants love carbon dioxide. Why does Apple want to strangle Earth's plant life? It's beyond stupid.

But 97% of scientists funded by governments say that anthropogenic global warming is real! despite every single computer generated model being complete and utter BS.

Why is ocean front property still being built & financed by the major banks around the world if the sea levels were actually rising at a significant rate?

 

[JDGwf]

As much as I love supporting the environment, why doesn't Apple throw some money at Blender.org so they (the Blender foundation) can put development into the M1 and Metal? It, too, is a non-prof with many other major players contributing annually to it.

 

[SactoGuy18]

That's great, but Apple should also sponsor efforts to keep current forests healthy by removing the underbrush and any dead trees. That way, forests aren't so vulnerable to the type of massive forest fires we've been having in recent years in California.

 

[Td1970]

What is wrong with a company wanting to communicate their environmental stance to customers and shareholders; especially since it's that stance that partially contributes to customers choosing Apple products?

This is how Apple PR works. They are masters at jumping on social issues and bragging about it

 

[danny842003]

Did I claim Apple claimed it would offset it?

Well what point were you making. It sounded like if you can’t fix the issue totally don’t bother.

 

[danny842003]

That's great, but Apple should also sponsor efforts to keep current forests healthy by removing the underbrush and any dead trees. That way, forests aren't so vulnerable to the type of massive forest fires we've been having in recent years in California.

to have a healthy forest don’t you need that dead matter?

 

[citysnaps]

This is how Apple PR works. They are masters at jumping on social issues and bragging about it

I suspect you're not happy with Apple's environmental and social efforts, and thus refer to the company's messaging as bragging.

Rather than characterizing it as simply letting customers who are interested in what Apple is doing regarding the environment and other social issues, know how the company is contributing. As any other company would with respect to such matters.

Sadly, it seems other tech companies do not have the same level of commitment.

 

[Td1970]

I suspect you're not happy with Apple's environmental and social efforts, and thus refer to the company's messaging as bragging.

Rather than characterizing it as simply letting customers who are interested in what Apple is doing regarding the environment and other social issues, know how the company is contributing. As any other company would with respect to such matters.

Sadly, it seems other tech companies do not have the same level of commitment.

I really dont care either way. If believing this make you feel better……enjoy. Apple PR is truly amazing.

 

[citysnaps]

I really dont care either way. If believing this make you feel better……enjoy. Apple PR is truly amazing.

Seriously? It's not a matter of making me, or anyone else, feel better. As an aside, making smarmy characterizations such as that weakens your position.

It's communications from Apple to its customers and shareholders. Like all communications, it helps customers who are interested in and value corporate environmental activities decide if Apple (or any other business) is worthy of doing business with.

It's good business policy.

 

[hans1972]

What’s that, one days profit? It’s just another publicity stunt to deflect criticism away from some of their other actions.

It's not a publicity stunt but a big part of how they become carbon neutral in their entire value chain by 2030.

"This effort is part of Apple’s broader goal to become carbon neutral across its entire value chain by 2030. While the company will directly eliminate 75 percent of emissions for its supply chain and products by 2030, the fund will help address the remaining 25 percent of Apple’s emissions by removing carbon from the atmosphere."

It's a business decision to reach a strategic goal.