If you keep up with the launch of Apple products, you must be aware that the company claimed the Watch Series 9, Watch SE, and Watch Ultra 2 are “carbon neutral.” Now, it seems Apple customers are unhappy with this claim. They’ve now filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging the claims about these watches being “carbon neutral” are false and misleading.
Apple slapped with a lawsuit over the “carbon neutral” claim for three watches
The lawsuit, filed in California, argues that the three Apple Watches aren’t really carbon neutral. In fact, they rely on carbon offset projects that don’t reduce the carbon footprint. Had customers been aware of the situation, they would have either paid less or not bought the watches altogether.
The lawsuit against Apple primarily revolves around two carbon offset projects that the company uses to boost its carbon-neutral efforts. The projects in question are Kenya’s Chyulu Hills Project and China’s Guinan Project. The lawsuit also argues that neither of the projects meets the basic criteria for further carbon reduction.
This is because the land was already forested and would have contributed to a reduction in carbon footprint, regardless of Apple’s involvement. Since Apple’s carbon-neutral claims rely on the “efficacy and legitimacy” of these projects, the claims are false and misleading.
Citing a study by the National Retail Federation and IBM, the plaintiffs also point out that around 70% of U.S. and Canadian customers make their purchase decisions with environmental sustainability in mind. While the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, it demands that the company stop marketing the three Apple Watches as “carbon neutral.”
The tech giant stands firm on its claim
Apple, on the other hand, stands by its claims. In an email, the company’s spokesperson notes, “We’ve drastically cut emissions for Apple Watch by over 75%, and we are investing significantly in nature-based projects to remove hundreds of thousands of metric tons of carbon from the air. We detail our work prominently and transparently for our users.” While Apple aims to become carbon neutral by 2030, how it will achieve that goal remains unclear as of now.
