I find it very ironic that today, on Blog Action Day, where  bloggers around the Web are uniting to discuss the environment and propose actions we can take to ensure a better, healthier future for our children and our children’s children that Greenpeace has publicized findings that point to Apple’s iPhone being less than ‘green.’ 

An independant study found iPhones to contain high-levels of chemicals that have been classified in Europe as toxic to reproduction. While these chemicals have not been banned from mobile phones, they have been prohibited from use in all toys or childcare products in Europe. Sounds serious to me; yikes.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been unsure of the benefits of the iPhone from the get go. Sure it looks pretty and sounds like one of the coolest gadgets around, but at what cost? Not only is the coveted iPhone expensive, but now to find out that it contains environmentally ruinous chemicals - chemicals that have been eliminated by other mobile phone manufacturers - I’m even less likely to spend any of my hard earned ’green’ on such a product.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big Apple fan. In fact, I’m not quite sure what I would do without my iPod. But, because so many companies have made significant progress towards going green, I’m surprised and disappointed that Apple, a company named for something that supposed to keep the doctor away for Heaven’s sake, is so behind the times. 

Greenpeace has asked that Apple initiate a global take-back policy on the iPhone until it is considered a more environmentally-friendly product. It will be interesting to see how Apple responds. Either way, until I’m sure that Apples are indeed healthy, I’ll be looking for alternative sources of nutrition.

Apple, Blog Action Day, environment, green technologies, Greenpeace, health, iPhone, iPod, Language