Earth Day

Close those rings: Apple issues Earth Day 2017 activity challenge

In addition to teaming up with World Wildlife Fund on a praiseworthy money-raising initiative, Apple is also honoring Earth Day 2017 with a new activity challenge for Apple Watch owners. MacStories, which first spotted Apple's notification, explains that Apple Watch owners are being challenged to complete at least half an hour workout on Saturday to earn a new medal in the Activity app and unlock special iMessage stickers.

Apple partners with World Wildlife Fund on money-raising Earth Day 2017 initiative

Last year, Apple honored Earth Day with an App Store promotion that sent 100 percent proceeds from select app purchases to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It ended up being wildly successfully as the company revealed it donated $8 million to the fund. This year in celebration of Earth Day 2017, the two brands are collaborating on a similar money-raising initiative involving Apple retail stores.

I learned from these cartoonish videos that Apple makes its own artificial sweat

Did you know that Apple makes its own artificial sweat to test whether or not products like Apple Watch and Apple Pencil that come in direct contact with the human body would irritate the skin? Neither did I, but that's what they apparently do. I was educated about this, and other fun facts, by watching Apple's new cartoonish videos that highlight the company's efforts at sustainability.

Apple pledges to make gadgets from 100% renewable or recycled materials

Apple's 2017 Environmental Responsibility Report, covering fiscal year 2016, states that the company will establish a “closed-loop supply chain” and stop mining the earth altogether in order to make its products from 100 percent renewable or recycled materials, including aluminum, copper, tin and tungsten.

An industry-changing objective, indeed, but Apple has yet to completely figure out how to do it. “One day we’d like to be able to build new products with just recycled materials, including your old products,” said the Cupertino firm.

Apple promotes recycling with a new television commercial featuring Siri and robot Liam

In addition to a nicely done environment-focused video posted yesterday, in which Apple boasts how its data centers run on 100 percent renewable energy, the Cupertino firm this morning released another Earth Day focused television ad on its YouTube channel, this one promoting recycling.

Featuring Siri and Apple's recycling robot Liam, the 25-second video has Siri conversing with the robot, asking him what he's doing for Earth Day.

Apple’s official recycling program wallpapers

During the March keynote, Apple emphasized the company's commitment to reducing its impact on the environment, even including a video of their Liam robot, which carefully takes apart recycled iPhones. Recently, Apple also bolstered their in-store trade-in program, allowing users to bring in older devices for upgrades, receiving credit for their purchase.

As we approach Earth Day, Apple is offering exclusive wallpapers for customers who decide to trade-in their device. Luckily, we can all enjoy their customized wallpapers, as they are hosted on a publicly accessible Apple website via apple.com/recycling/thanks. Step inside to get your hands on these new Apple exclusive wallpapers, including versions for the iPhone SE.

Apple Stores celebrating 2015 Earth Day with green adornments

Today is Earth Day and Apple Stores around the world are marking the occasion with revamped signage outside the brick-and-mortar locations featuring green leaves. Although the physical stores now rock logo leaves tinted in green, the Online Apple Store was unaffected as of this writing.

The Apple.com homepage is heavily promoting the company's green initiatives based on the updated 2015 Environmental Responsibility Report and an accompanying video entitled ‘Better Starts Here’, which highlights “significant progress” the company has made in terms of its commitment to preserving our environment during the 2014 fiscal year.