S.F. gives Apple the boot

San Francisco made a big political statement with a relatively small move, announcing the city government is no longer buying Apple computers after the company withdrew from an environmental-certification program.

Apple removed all 39 of its desktop and laptop computers from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registry, an online resource helping institutions compare computers in terms of green-friendliness, according to the Wall Street Journal. Though only 1 percent to 2 percent of the city’s computers are Macs, the decision could have meaningful ramifications, as other institutions like UC Berkeley and Cornell University are considering following San Francisco’s lead.

The MacBook Pro, Apple’s latest laptop, does not qualify for EPEAT certification because its battery is glued directly to the case, making it difficult to recycle.

“Apple takes a comprehensive approach to measuring our environmental impact and all of our products meet the strictest energy efficiency standards backed by the U.S. government,” said Apple spokeswoman Kristen Huguet.