Greepeace stages protest on roof of Apple's European HQ in Ireland

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014


Protesters with the environmental organization Greenpeace staged an hourlong demonstration atop Apple's European headquarters in Ireland on Wednesday, opposing the use of coal-powered electricity to power the iCloud service.



The demonstrators scaled the top of the Apple building in Cork about 7 a.m. local time and voluntarily came down after about an hour, according to the Irish Examiner. Local police and firefighters arrived on the scene after the protest began, and Greenpeace members passed out pamphlets to Apple employees at the company's European headquarters.



The protestors placed signs on the building with letters spelling out the words "clean our cloud." Strangely, though, Greenpeace praised Apple's energy policy in Ireland, where the protest was staged, noting that the iPhone maker's Cork headquarters relies on renewable energy sources.



Similar demonstrations were also said to have been staged at Apple-run facilities in Turkey and Luxembourg. The protests were coordinated to bring attention to a study released by Greenpeace on Tuesday entitled "How Clean is Your Cloud?," which panned Apple's iCloud service and massive data center in Maiden, N.C., for relying largely on coal-based power.



But Apple was quick to refute those claims only hours after the Greenpeace report was made public. For its part, Apple said that renewable energy will provide 50 percent more of the power needs of its North Carolina data center than Greenpeace projected.



"Our data center in North Carolina will draw about 20 megawatts at full capacity, and we are on track to supply more than 60 percent of that power on-site from renewable sources including a solar farm and fuel cell installation which will each be the largest of their kind in the country," spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said. " We believe this industry leading project will make Maiden the greenest data center ever built, and it will be joined next year by our new facility in Oregon running on 100 percent renewable energy."





Protestors displayed signs at Apple's building in Ireland, via Corkipedia.







Wednesday's demonstrations are only the latest by members of Greenpeace against Apple. The Cupertino, Calif., company has pushed the environmentally friendly aspects of its products for years, following a dispute that began in August of 2006, when Greenpeace condemned Apple for the use of toxic chemicals in its devices.



Previous publicity generating demonstrations by Greenpeace include a "Green My Apple" campaign conducted at the MacExpo show in London in October of 2006, where the environmental advocacy group was forced to shut down its booth. Members of Greenpeace also took part in a "greening" of Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York City in January of 2007, where protestors shone green floodlights into the locations 32-foot glass cube.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 122
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Apple should buy a few Hyperion reactors from Gen4Energy while alternative energy development progresses in its development. We are a long way off yet so an interim solution is required and the Hyperion looks pretty sweet as an alternative to fossil fuels IMHO.
  • Reply 2 of 122
    knightlieknightlie Posts: 282member
    Are we supposed to take them seriously when they target a single company out of the entire IT industry?
  • Reply 3 of 122
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by knightlie View Post


    Are we supposed to take them seriously when they target a single company out of the entire IT industry?



    Greenleace use Network Solutions as their hosting service, just curious of NetSol is greener than Apple?
  • Reply 4 of 122
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member
    Greenpeace who????



    Wonder how efficient their operation is...anyone care to investigate?
  • Reply 5 of 122
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icoco3 View Post


    Greenpeace who????



    Wonder how efficient their operation is...anyone care to investigate?



    I assume their ship is made of recycled panty hose and runs on solar and wind?



    Who watches the watchers?
  • Reply 6 of 122
    icarbonicarbon Posts: 196member
    Greenpeace seems to be the red-headed stepchild of the environmental movement, causing more backwards movement than anything else.



    Given that modern coal plants are among the cleanest energy sources after nuclear, I'm not clear on what non-renewable resource they expect Apple to use, or why they think that burning coal in the middle of the coal belt is somehow worse than transporting oil or LNG into the region.



    don't they understand the idea of "Buy Local?"
  • Reply 7 of 122
    buzdotsbuzdots Posts: 452member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    I assume their ship is made of recycled panty hose and runs on solar and wind?



    NOPE, made of extruded bullshit and powered by hot air emanating from the anal cavity of idiots.
  • Reply 8 of 122
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by knightlie View Post


    Are we supposed to take them seriously when they target a single company out of the entire IT industry?



    Yes, because that single company is the industry leader. And Noblesse Oblige.

    If Apple can't take the heat it should get out of the kitchen.

    Apple wants to be industry leader so it, and its fanbois, shouldn't whine like kindergarten kids.
  • Reply 9 of 122
    pk22901pk22901 Posts: 153member
    They're sacrificing their integrity by singling out Apple. Seems like GP smears Apple for the funds raised with their linkbait antics.



    Tim Cook will respond to GP's provocative attacks with accurate information and action. GP always downgrades Apple on 'visibility', never noticing that the 'visible' companies' deeds don't match their words.



    Someone ought to write this article:



    Greenpeace: Which is More Effective? LinkBait Fund Raising or Telling it Straight?
  • Reply 10 of 122
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by knightlie View Post


    Are we supposed to take them seriously when they target a single company out of the entire IT industry?



    Apple is a high profile company and Greenpeace will always find the most high profile targets in order to get the most bang for its 'marketing' bucks. Don't take it personally, guys. I can't believe so many apparently smart people get so hot under the collar over this.



    Not that I support misrepresentation of facts, in fact, if Greenpeace fails in their research they are definitely shooting themselves in the foot, and they should be taken to task.
  • Reply 11 of 122
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    "Our data center in North Carolina will draw about 20 megawatts at full capacity, and we are on track to supply more than 60 percent of that power on-site from renewable sources including a solar farm and fuel cell installation which will each be the largest of their kind in the country," spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said. "





    It looks like Apple is playing fast and loose with their numbers.



    The fuel cells are NOT "renewable energy". They burn fossil fuels.



    They are good for many reasons, but calling them "renewable energy" is just plain lying.
  • Reply 12 of 122
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by I am a Zither Zather Zuzz View Post


    It looks like Apple is playing fast and loose with their numbers.



    The fuel cells are NOT "renewable energy". They burn fossil fuels.



    They are good for many reasons, but calling them "renewable energy" is just plain lying.



    And if Apple so easily lies about something like this it is a given that they lie about whatever they deem convenient.



    So what else is new?
  • Reply 13 of 122
    sol77sol77 Posts: 203member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iCarbon View Post


    Greenpeace seems to be the red-headed stepchild of the environmental movement, causing more backwards movement than anything else.



    Given that modern coal plants are among the cleanest energy sources after nuclear, I'm not clear on what non-renewable resource they expect Apple to use, or why they think that burning coal in the middle of the coal belt is somehow worse than transporting oil or LNG into the region.



    don't they understand the idea of "Buy Local?"





    I attended a neo-hippie college a decade ago. Greenpeace reminds me of the sophomoric attitude of most of the student body who assumed being provocative was equivalent to being progressive. I was embarrassed (and still am) to claim I graduated from that school, even though it is considered a "good" liberal arts school. I didn't even walk. It's a little disheartening to have grown up and into a world where entire movements are dictated by what is very obviously an ego drive. As much as they try to distance themselves from the "herd," their reactions are grand scale juvenile efforts (intentional provocation and disruption) targeting the most trendy and well known sources - meaning they're no better than those who are ruled by trends precisely because their guiding principle is to deny trends. Do I want to protect the planet? Yes. Do I think Greenpeace's efforts at visibility are comparable to seventh grade initiatives organized by adults? Yes.
  • Reply 14 of 122
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by I am a Zither Zather Zuzz View Post


    It looks like Apple is playing fast and loose with their numbers.



    The fuel cells are NOT "renewable energy". They burn fossil fuels.



    They are good for many reasons, but calling them "renewable energy" is just plain lying.



    We all know you don't actually do research because it would always prove you to be the liar.



    http://www.bloomenergy.com/fuel-cell/energy-server/



    Check out point 3...
  • Reply 15 of 122
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    I disagree with Apple's choice in situating a data center in the coal belt, but that decision is long gone. Besides, 20MW is chump change today.



    How about Bank of America? They easily have 20MW of demand that is supplied by coal. AOL is/was even higher.



    The situation arose because of the environmental policies that Greenpeace pushed for the last two decades though. It made energy too expensive in places like California, so energy costs became a significant portion of total operating costs for data centers. That pushed the majority of new facilities from 2002 to 2010 into locations with cheap power. The trend is reversing slightly now, as areas like Los Angeles became under-served.
  • Reply 16 of 122
    wakkowakko Posts: 5member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AlvarezLuis View Post


    Yes, because that single company is the industry leader. And Noblesse Oblige.

    If Apple can't take the heat it should get out of the kitchen.

    Apple wants to be industry leader so it, and its fanbois, shouldn't whine like kindergarten kids.



    I think invoking the word "fanbois" should automatically discredit one's arguments.
  • Reply 17 of 122
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sol77 View Post


    It's a little disheartening to have grown up and into a world where entire movements are dictated by what is very obviously an ego drive.



    Apparently you need to finish growing up first.

    It's a lot more disheartening to have grown up in a world where entire countries are dictated by what is very obviously an egotistic shareholder drive.
  • Reply 18 of 122
    wakkowakko Posts: 5member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by I am a Zither Zather Zuzz View Post


    It looks like Apple is playing fast and loose with their numbers.



    The fuel cells are NOT "renewable energy". They burn fossil fuels.



    They are good for many reasons, but calling them "renewable energy" is just plain lying.



    Fuel Cells are a means of converting hydrogen into electricity (and water). It tells you nothing about where the fuel comes from. You can generate hydrogen using a variety of means, from burning coal and oil, to geothermal, and harnessing tidal waves.
  • Reply 19 of 122
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AlvarezLuis View Post


    Yes, because that single company is the industry leader. And Noblesse Oblige.

    If Apple can't take the heat it should get out of the kitchen.

    Apple wants to be industry leader so it, and its fanbois, shouldn't whine like kindergarten kids.



    What whining has Apple done. None. Refuting incorrect facts like how much energy the data center needs is not whining.
  • Reply 20 of 122
    sacto joesacto joe Posts: 895member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by I am a Zither Zather Zuzz View Post


    It looks like Apple is playing fast and loose with their numbers.

    The fuel cells are NOT "renewable energy". They burn fossil fuels.

    They are good for many reasons, but calling them "renewable energy" is just plain lying.



    Not strictly true, so maybe I should accuse you of "lying".



    1. A fuel cell isn't a kind of energy, renewable or otherwise; it's a machine.

    2. A fuel cell is about the cleanest possible way to burn fuel.

    3. The fuel itself can be renewable.

    4. If the fuel itself is renewable, then the energy produced by the fuel cell is in fact "renewable energy".



    For whatever reason, various people have decided to attack Apple from the left. None of those reasons hold any water. The left needs to stop these attacks because it's just making itself look childish and snarky.
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