Samsung, Amazon and Chinese phone makers’ environmental impact highlighted in critical Greenpeace report
Tech giants censured by environmental group for not reducing greenhouse gas emissions, failing to phase out hazardous chemicals, and having supply chains ‘stuck in Industrial Age’. Apple fared better for using renewable energy
The environmental group Greenpeace issued a report this week giving technology titans including Samsung Electronics, Amazon and Huawei low marks for their environmental impact.
Many of the biggest technology companies failed to deliver on commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and are still reluctant to commit fully to renewable energy, according to Greenpeace USA’s Guide to Greener Electronics. The new report, which assessed 17 top global tech companies in three areas, also faulted many of them for failing to use more recycled materials in their products and slow progress in phasing out use of toxic materials.
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“Tech companies claim to be at the forefront of innovation, but their supply chains are stuck in the Industrial Age,” Gary Cook, a campaigner at Greenpeace USA, said in a statement.
The report details the hidden cost behind what may be the most sought-after and celebrated consumer products in the 21st century: mobile computing devices like smartphones and tablet computers.
Since 2011, Greenpeace has urged global tech companies to transition to renewable energy, prompting some of them to switch to environmentally friendly power sources for their data centres. The group is urging the industry to tackle energy issues in manufacturing and supply chains, design longer-lasting products to reduce electronics waste and urging an overall rethink of its “take-make-waste” business model.