The MacBook Pro: The World’s Greenest Notebook

Apple MacBook Air 13.3" Laptop (1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 64 GB Solid-State Drive)

Many computer companies are racing against each other to create green computers. It’s more than just trying to keep up with the latest trends—making green computers also makes sense financially. While multiple companies have created notebooks that are very environmentally friendly, one has gone above and beyond: Apple. Their new MacBook Pro notebooks are incredibly green.

What makes the MacBook Pro so great? Well, first of all, it’s incredibly energy efficient. Part of the reason Apple can make their MacBooks work so well is that they design the hardware and the software. This allows them to create programs that work with the computer to use less power. The hard drive actually slows down when not in use, and the computer divides tasks between varius pieces of hardware more efficiently. The LED display uses 30 percent less energy than other, more traditional LCD monitors. The MacBook Pro even has sensors that can tell when you are in a dark room, and it automatically adjusts the display’s brightness to compensate.

MacBook Pros also meet all EPA requirements for an Energy Star certification. In fact, they met the Energy Star version 5.0 specifications for computers before those requirements went into effect, so they are well ahead of the curve.

In adition to being more energy efficient, the MacBook Pro also has a longer battery life. In most notebooks, the battery actually needs to be replaced every few years, creating a lot of waste. However, the MacBook Pro’s battery can last for five years or 1000 recharges. You’ll get around three times as much use from it as you would from a standard notebook’s battery.

Recycling is one of the longest and most popular green trends, and the MacBook Pro addresses this concern. The entire notebook is created from one piece of recyclable aluminum instead of many smaller parts. The display, too, is recyclable, and both the aluminum body and the display are sought after by recycling companies for use in creating new products.

The packaging your MacBook Pro comes in is also very recyclable. It’s also made as small as possible, with the 13-inch MacBook Pro packaging now 41 percent smaller than the original MacBook box. This has several benefits. Obviously, it means using less material. It also means that more MacBook Pro boxes can fit in a truck, so less few is used to ship more computers.

The MacBook Pro features many fewer toxins and other hazardous materials. The LED-backlit display has no mercury in it, and the glass used is arsenic-free. There are no brominated flame retardants or polyvinyl chloride used in the circuits and other internal parts.

Overall, the MacBook Pro is as green as you can get. The notebook has received the gold seal of approval from EPEAT, a tool that evaluates what kind of impact a computer has on the world. It’s not just marketing—the MacBook Pro really is both a great computer and a great green investment.