- 2.2
- Impact
Environmental Impact of the iTunes Store
Flag As Inappropriate
migraineboy
over 3 years ago about Apple
The basic back of the napkin type calculations show that Apple’s iTunes store has saved roughly 275 tractor trailers worth of CD’s from being manufactured and eventually ending up in landfills. By promoting downloading music instead of buying CD’s Apple is having a positive impact on the environment.
Related Image
This is a story about Apple
Other recent stories about Apple
- Apple Announces new effort to go green in response to Greenpeace campaign
- Greenpeace just won a Webby for their A Greener Apple website. http://news.com.com/2300-1026_3-61809… [read more]
- Greenpeace ranks Apple most toxic
- In its “Green Electronics Guide”, Greenpeace ranked Apple the worst out of 14 electronics manufacturers (for the second time in a row) in its toxic chemical producing index. [read more]
- iPod Produced in Conditions that Violate Apple's Code of Conduct
- Apple has a Code of Conduct for their suppliers. The iPod is produced in China by a company that was violating their Code of Conduct. [read more]
- Apple and EMI offer DRM-less songs and videos on iTunes Store
- Apple and EMI will offer music tracks and videos without Digital Rights Management on the iTunes Store beginning in May 2007. [read more]
- Apple Says Jobs Knew of Options
- From the New York Times: [read more]
Change business
+ Post your idea!
Stats and Impact
- 2379 active people
- 511 active companies
- 89 ideas
- 1 considered ideas
- 2 launched ideas!
Comments
I would also say that as iTunes has stood up to the recording industry to protect consumers from price hikes, Apple has really come through as a company that wants to treat consumers fairly. The recording industry should pay close attention, not continue to fight its own consumers. Perhaps the subject of another story… but anyway, thanks Apple for saving consumers from the major record labels.
Source: http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/pW9…
posted by ryan over 3 years ago
I totally agree that iTunes has had a VERY positive impact on the amount of trash and pollution we generate. For anyone who disagrees, check out my post about this from September, 2006… LINK
posted by paulburd over 3 years ago
Ryan, while I agree that iTunes has kept prices low, their practice of selling audio files that are compatible solely with Apple products (i.e. iPod) doesn’t ring true with all consumers who want to be treated fairly. I think it is a generalization to say that they have come through in that way. Rather, Apple treats the customer exactly the way they ought to make the most money.
Your source states, “Apple’s iTunes has the lion’s share of the market—about 80 percent, according to the company”. If this is accurate, 4 out of 5 songs purchased digitally work only on iPods. This creates a market virtually impenetrable to competition – an action already difficult due to the popularity of the brand.
Meanwhile, we are completely off topic and I agree that the revolution of digital music and mp3 players has saved millions of CDs from being produced :)
posted by Loren (verified representative for dotherightthing.com) over 3 years ago
Thanks for pointing that out Loren. I couldn’t agree more.
In addition, I’d like to add that the iPod I buy every two/three years and the external hard drive I own are much more costly/nearly impossible to recycle than plastic CD cases.
posted by dsk over 3 years ago
what loren said is exactly how i feel, in a nutshell. i am strongly for purchasing music online (my favorite retailer is emusic.com), but strongly against purchasing it from the itunes music store for that very reason: their ridiculous DRM schemes.
i think that the credit for this positive environmental impact is better given to the mp3 format itself than Apple or iTunes. illegal downloading, debatably as popular as iTunes, is having just as much of a positive environmental impact, as are other legal mp3 businesses. Generally, as a company, Apple is not terribly concerned with environmental impact of its more tangible products (http://www.greenmyapple.org). Therefore i do not think that it deserves this commendation.
posted by iamthepinkylifter over 3 years ago
Yay for iTunes! It’s bringing down the price of albums too.
... But oh! How does this balance out with the number of CD-Rs, CD-RWs and DVD-Rs that people are using to burn their digital downloads? :)
posted by hooch over 3 years ago
I have to confess I’ve only started using iTunes recently. I still like to have the CD in my hand but the reduction in packaging is a good move….except the major labels are still charging the artists for “Packaging”. Check out http://www.futureofmusic.org/ especially http://www.futureofmusic.org/contract… Still, I can content myself knowing that we get more per song than U2! (only sold 1 so far though!)
Related Image
posted by mojokelt over 3 years ago
Has anyone considered how many people ‘burn’ the albums they buy from the iTunes store? I would bet this amounts to at least 25-50% of those albums downloaded…
You would also have to factor in the additional CO2 emissions from the downloading PC, the iTunes servers, the internet backbone, etc.
This would significantly reduce any environmental benefit the iTunes store would bring!
posted by batfink over 3 years ago
Batfink, regardless of whether people burn the CDs, or the CO2 emissions, the fact is, more than a billion CDs have been downloaded instead of bought at a store, and I’d say that the factors you’ve listed would only make up around 25% of that waste.
posted by mookle over 3 years ago
Sure, there are some detrimental effects of the iTunes Store, but overall, a lot less energy is used and a lot less trash is produced when you use iTunes over buying a CD. The pros definitely outweigh the cons in my opinion.
posted by PennStateSquirrel over 3 years ago
It helps, but we certainly need to do more than save a few hundred CDs from being made and pitched
posted by geek27 over 3 years ago