Greenpeace has really begun to show it’s colours over the last few years and now represents an organisation of media shills, hysterical hippies and, frankly, lying bastards,.
Much like the FSF and their alleging that Apple might be infringing on the GPL with their iPhone (in a pathetic attempt to get media coverage), Greenpeace exclaimed that Apple’s iPhone would be a disaster for the environment.
In a followup from Reghardware, Greenpeace was seen to admit:
The NGO bases its claims on the analysis of a single US-sourced iPhone of which, it confessed, “we were able to analyse only a small selection of the different components and materials”. It tested a “selection” of 18 internal and external materials and components in a University of Exeter lab. Only two of those 18 elements were chosen for “more specific and detailed chemical analysis”.
“All components tested appear to be compliant with the requirements of the EU RoHS directive,” Greenpeace’s 12-page write-up says. No cadmium was found. No mercury was found. The lead and chromium detected were present only “in a small proportion of samples and at relatively low concentrations”. There was “no evidence… of the most toxic and regulated form of chromium”.
So it’s yet another case of “Look Look! No Evidence Here!!!”. This kind of hysterical posturing creates a “Boy who cried Wolf” mentality which means those of us who need to care (consumers, prosumers, taxpayers, voters) just won’t care next time there’s a big headline from Greenpeace, the FSF or any other organisation that purports to be a charity but clearly has an agenda far beyond their remit.
RegHardware continues:
We’d guess it’s because Apple is an easy target, and Greenpeace knows iPhone related commentary gains press coverage. Perhaps that’s why it’s chosen to lay into the Apple handset rather than others. Greenpeace’s write-up doesn’t once compare and contrast the iPhone’s use of hazardous substances with that of any other mobile phone from any other vendor.
Which means there’s been no testing of ubiquitous K800s, RAZRs, e65s or whatever. Just sensationalist media shilldom.