Thinnovation: The MacBook Air

Design? Great. I don't want to be the cynical gobble here, but c'mon, how the hell is this green? I *guarantee* this thing uses just as many resources to build, if not more, than a larger laptop (because of the extra effort required to make it tiny). Plus, to make matters worse, it's yet another upgrade we NEED to buy to keep up with fashion. Screw that!!! Until a laptop maker gets innovative re-using old laptop chassis and only replacing the handful of parts that need replacing, I am NOT CONVINCED.

But did that allumninum come from recycled cans? Until I see that, i ain't riding this horse!

Yes, by using ULV CPU's (especially from VIA which size of CPus and required motherboard is half the size of Intels) then the weight would also have been even lighter since there would be no need for active cooling and much smaller heatsinks, too.
Another way to reduce powerconsumption is to use solid state disks instead of traditional Harddisks. Solid State disks are simply RAM that keeps the information in them even when turned off.
The power consumption of these are 50 milliwatt compared to 2 watt for a normal 2.5" Harddisk. yes, storage is only 32 GB compared to 160 GB but most people do not really need 160GB diskspace anyway (and if so, can just connect an external USB harddisk).
2 watt versus 50 milliwatt is 40 times less energy required.

Guys .... guyyyyyyyys. C'mon!

Are the other computer manufacturers doing any better (with regards to 're-manufacturing' using old chassis; etc.)?

As for low-power CPUs, I imagine Apple knows that there main market are the creative types that generally require considerable computing power.

Also, this may well be the first computer for some (many), and not necessarily an 'upgrade'.

Aluminum ... a much better use of the metal than so many of those low quality, over marketed aluminum-framed bicycles - and, speaking as an avid cyclist, I know very well we need the bikes ... it's just that there are better uses of aluminum than for bikes, and portable computers is one. Also, all the aluminum foil wasted for single use!!

Let's not blame Apple for the deep issues of the disposable consumer society ... or hold them responsible for the whims of society.

Speaking of wasteful use of aluminum ... see the following post!

I've seen mac fanboy stuff all over the internet today. Why does this have to appear on TreeHugger as well? I find buying new computers to be hardly relevant. Yes, I will have to replace my aging machine eventually, but even older machines can be made to run reasonably well if you put open source on them (such as XUbuntu). Of course, Mac is closed source, so boo on them.

I see this as a fantastic start, and I think the greenest thing about it is its tininess. Imagine if every laptop used only this much material.

Also, love the fact that it's mercury and PVC free. Way to go, Apple!

@Abboula Ra Lennouzez: "...Until a laptop maker gets innovative re-using old laptop chassis and only replacing the handful of parts that need replacing, I am NOT CONVINCED."

Don't worry, nothing on this MacBook is replaceable, so you can just throw the whole thing out when it doesn't charge anymore. You can't even upgrade the RAM if you need to! ;-)

Yeah, I totally agree with you though. This isn't the least bit green when it is made to be disposable.

Reading comments like those from Abboula and Haul makes me think of the villains in the Clancy novel Rainbow Six. If we just got rid of the humans the planet would be a paradise.

Isn't being green a relative exercise? I mean really if you guys had any green cred at all, you wouldn't be wasting electricity using the internet. Of course I guess it is greener than having magazines delivered by post.

Of course, the MacBook isn't just green relative to say an HP or Dell laptop. It's green because it drives energy innovation in those companies and others. It's green because it's created a product that people will buy and in so doing creates competitive pressure that will force it's competition to innovate.

And as much as you think a cola can pc or retread laptop would benefit the environment it can't even come close to the impact of a green product that people actually want and buy.

We have an energy crunch, that we can all help solve. If you want to help stop beating up the good guys and innovate.

@Abboula Ra Lennouzez: "...Until a laptop maker gets innovative re-using old laptop chassis and only replacing the handful of parts that need replacing, I am NOT CONVINCED."

Don't worry, nothing on this MacBook is replaceable, so you can just throw the whole thing out when it doesn't charge anymore. You can't even upgrade the RAM if you need to! ;-)

Yeah, I totally agree with you though. This isn't the least bit green when it is made to be disposable.

*Bulgarien, the Air does use a traditional disk drive for the main hard drive but allows for the addition of a 64gb solid state drive. The problem with solid state drives, like you mentioned is space. Maybe you don't need 160GB of space, but when Apple's marketing is based around iPods, iTunes, iPhoto...and now movie etc. all on your laptop, you fill up space pretty quickly.

Also, when it comes to 2 hours of longer battery life or more power (when it comes to my work) I don't want to sacrifice the power...If I did, I would need those extra two hours to make up for slower work flow. Apple is known for their speed, especially in rendering graphics and photots...they are making steps in the right direction without alienating their main market and rendering their computers inefficient to use.

Man, the negativity is abundant today. How many watts is your machine taking up right now? How many chemicals were used to produce it? I imagine the average person throws out more trash per week than this machine consists of.

BTW, OSX is closed-source, but the machine is not. You may run an open-source OS on it just as well.

I think the comments from Aboulezez and Haul, though negative, were right on target.

The point is this: Just because it "looks cool" does not mean it should be on TreeHugger. This is an example of when TreeHugger pushes it a little hard to get candy in front of the reader but doesn't back it up with much substance. This is only a marginal improvement. I too want to see REAL improvement. I'm glad to see something rather than nothing, but this is just candy with no real substance. C'mon Mr. Lloyd!

All right, but apart from mercury free, arsenic free, PVC free, recycleable, minimal packaging, sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

Could this be better? Sure. Replaceable part availability is a huge issue for me, too--but I just spent a grand to replace a Dell because of a crack in a $10 piece of plastic, so I'm not ready to vilify Apple on that front. Most casual users (think they) aren't capable of setting up an open source system, so power issues do pose a tradeoff for just about everyone. And read, people. Does this look good? Yes. Is that bad in itself? Not really. Is this post just about it looking good? If you think it is you just failed Comp 101.

If the standard for doing anything about the environment is perfection, I'm building an ark, because the ice caps will> be gone. There are real improvements to be seen here, and room for more. By all means, show you're critical thinking skills. But let's not recycle the proverbial baby with the the gray water.

You know what? Better than any PC machine I've encountered. PVC free alone gets my vote. Energy star rated? Hells yes. Mercury Free? You mean I won't go batshit crazy like a Borgia from my screen? All recyclable? Awesome. Compared to many many other machines out there, this is a HUGE leap in the right direction.

I'd even bet that you can go one better and charge it's itty-bitty battery with a portable solar-charger.

It's all about walking in the right direction. You do what you can. Apple is still a superior product and a company who is continuously raising the bar for earth-friendly electronics.

PS: Wouldn't using old machines to make new machines just perpetuate the use of toxins like mercury and pvc? I'd rather have a new machine that's toxic free and have the old machine recycled and disposed of safely than continuously bring off-gassing plastics into my home.

This thread actually had me laughing today.

Although I agree that the notebook's green attributes are not on par with a Prius, the reduction of toxins in the machines is huge. There have been countless articles in here about the dangers of computers in landfills, but as soon as someone makes a move in the right direction, they get shat upon here because the machine happens to be...what....stylish?...an Apple?...not enough?

Sheesh, like as if Apple doesn't advertise enough...

Have you looked at other ultra-thin/ultra-portable computers? Are they not green because they aren't Apple?

What a laugh. I expect better from Treehugger.

Bah! The negativity today is incredible. Why must Treehugger get crap for posting a story on this new MacBook from Apple? Just cuz it has excellent aesthetics doesn't mean that it can't be green. Not everything in the green world has to be made from hemp and smell like patchouli oil. And don't think for one second that since Apple released this MacBook Air that everyone and their mother will go out and buy one. Seriously, can influential companies still innovate? Sure Apple is not perfect, can someone name one corporation out there that has a 100% good track record?

I think that this is a awesome new product that has its market. This notebook is definitely not good for everyone, and it will not usher in the end of days. So everyone please cool down and appreciate the efforts that have been put forth by Apple to become greener. They still have a long path to travel down, but at least they are on it unlike many others.

I've only just started to subscribe to Treehugger, so this may be out of place ... but I thought the idea was stylish objects that are going in a green direction. So Air fits perfectly. There's no law that says you've got to like/buy everything Treehugger reports ... not very green, apart from anything else. People who read Treehugger will - at the very least - think long and hard before just going out and buying Air because its there, rather than because the old computer isn't so very cool any more.

Get a grip

When Apple wants to, it revolutionizes an industry. Avoiding mercury is a good start, but they're not even using postconsumer metal. This is just a disappointment.

It's E-PEAT Silver. They did well.

And they did it without being upgradeable.

This is a sign of good things to come in other Apple products. A subnotebook is a design oriented device. They managed to do it all and still go E-PEAT Silver. Can't wait to see what the MacBookPro's score.

For the record, it looks like Apple is using low voltage core 2 duos, the L7500 and L7700, with a thermal design power of 17W, as opposed to the normal voltage processors which have a TDP of 35W. There is an "ultra low voltage" core 2 duo that has a 10W TDP, but the fastest you're going to get there is 1.33ghz with 1/2 the cache and a slower bus, and I imagine apple didn't want to make that sacrifice.

This is a great start. Everything starts with an idea and then an action, even if it is a small one. It is still significant and worthy of noting. I am a green designer in Portland Oregon and have an eco blog called http://www.planetpinkngreen.com. I do believe in the small steps. It's not always possible to go from A to Z in lighting speed. So how about just A to B and so on and so forth until you get to Z? In the process you might just bring many others on board. It's totally worth it. Hats off to you Apple. Just keep walking the green path.

This is a great start. Everything starts with an idea and then an action, even if it is a small one. It is still significant and worthy of noting. I am a green designer in Portland Oregon and have an eco blog called http://www.planetpinkngreen.com. I do believe in the small steps. It's not always possible to go from A to Z in lighting speed. So how about just A to B and so on and so forth until you get to Z? In the process you might just bring many others on board. It's totally worth it. Hats off to you Apple. Just keep walking the green path.

Is it just me, or is anybody else curious what they used as a PVC replacement in the electrical cables. If anybody knows, please let me know. It will help me make the products I work on just that much more eco friendly. Hats of to Apple, as a mechanical engineer for a very environmentally minded company I know how hard it can be to get these products to market. Luckily Apple has long been in a position to use more expensive components or design solutions to produce innovating products. As posted in another comment on the same topic. Energy consumption is the single biggest ecological impact of almost any product that requires electricity. This laptop is a move in the right direction to minimize energy consumption. A good balance between computing power and energy consumption, solid state hard disk (less energy, lasts longer). I do wonder if they could have made it as small and robust if they would have used bio-degradable plastics for the housing. Oh, and "recycling" aluminium or plastics is not really recycling, it's always downcycling and still requires huge amounts of energy. Final thought, a big part of sustainable product development is about making a profit => no profit means no budget for further investments in greener technologies...

Sure it's not perfect, but making a step in the right direction is really all that can be expected. Just like technology has allowed computers to get smaller and faster, it will allow increasingly greener designs and materials to come forth. Quit your complaining and try to recognize what Apple has done here, even if you don't buy an Air (is that the best way to refer to it?). And, because Apple has established itself as a trend setter, other manufacturers will surely follow suit.

Also, as a side note, how many people have actually done research on environmentally friendly laptops? There's not a lot out there... This is definitely the first environmentally friendly machine with any power to it that i've come across.

My only qualm with the Air is its price; as a college student it's a little out of my price range, though I would be inclined to purchase one, if I can manage it.

I've looked into the energy efficiency of laptops and Mac is one of the best. I run a windows shop and started implementing Macs and macminis with bootcamp because they are so green (and small on the desktop)

All the naysayers can slam apple but the reality is this: They were called to task for being terrible about the environment and they BEGAN and CONTINUE to strive in the right direction.

What about Dell and HP. I haven't heard crap from those guys. Are they even trying?

"Let's not blame Apple for the deep issues of the disposable consumer society ... or hold them responsible for the whims of society."

You don't blame drug dealers for the creation of ordemand for drugs. You blame them for selling them. Same thing here.

even though laptops consumes less power, i think, the manufacturing of laptops uses more power than desktop. It uses very sophisticated electronics and miniature technologies, which may uses more energy, water and other resources. So the net power saving is negative in the case of laptop. (these are my assumptions. i am looking to get some data on this.)
So buy desktop with Via processors.

think green

check www.zonbu.com for a real choice

I still don't like OS X, and I can't help but think this post is some sort of viral advertising for the MacBook Air.

It's interesting, but you guys act like it's everything. I have a Sony Vaio TZ and it's super small, lightweight, and ultra mobile. It's most likely eco-friendly as well and doesn't use a bazillion materials like the plastic iMacs they sell in stores.

How environmentally friendly is that?

ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

building/producing something (anything) = pollution

industry will ALWAYS be bad news for nature.

it can NEVER be green.

I think this a great step in the right direction. Yes, more can be done, but kudos for the effort!

you all fail to understand that the computers that you are typing your comments from are far from sustainable in any fashion (nice try viao user). but you must applaud apple for making an attempt, and that is what we need these large corporations to do is to make the move forward to a sustainable "best practices" approach. name a large computer company making this big of an effort (and please don't say sony, viao user).

so let's continue to push the mega corporations to go sustainable and use fully recyclable materials and push the energy efficiency standards. and employ a cradle to cradle aspect to there products.

so bravo apple, keep moving forward, and for full disclosure i am posting my comment from an 17" macbook pro.

There's a Japanese competitor FRLN11 that looks to give Macbook Air a run for its money
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/forget-the-macbook-air-try-a-kouziro-frontier-frln11-notebook/

Good journalism means looking beyond press release talking points, a principle this writer obvioulsy needs help with. This story seems to be so caught up in the religion of Apple worship it might as well show a pic of the writers kissing the hunk of metal Mac. Where's the real critical analysis on the sustainability of this computer? Are Macs sustainable at this price? Whatever happened to the social justice piece of sustainability or did that just slip out the window with the lust for looking hip? In fact, some of the least beautiful things in the world are the greenest and most sustainable. And making fun others, which is Apple's advertising MO, is that sustainable? Is this the kind of world we want to reimagine? Being so vulnerable to corporate hype and spin like this schlock from Apple makes treehugger.com look anything but sustainable and greatly reduces your use and value as a reference and news source.