Greenpeace relies too heavily on principle and not enough on fact, according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Speaking at a shareholders' meeting held at the company's HQ yesterday he said:
"You guys rate people based on what people say their plans are in the distant future, not what they are doing today. I think you put way too much weight on these glorified principles and way too little weight on science and engineering.
"It would be very helpful if your organization hired a few more engineers and actually entered into dialogue with companies to find out what they are really doing and not just listen to all the flowery language when in reality most of them aren't doing anything. That's my opinion."
Jobs' comments follow constant criticism of the iPod and Mac maker by Greenpeace, which consistently puts Apple at the bottom of its eco-friendly gadgets table .
Apple questions rivals' green credentials
However Greenpeace has also welcomed changes being made at Apple to make itself greener. Apple boss Steve Jobs admitted that Apple hadn't always made it clear what the company's environmental practices and goals were.
Steve Jobs also questioned the eco-credentials of Apple rivals at the shareholders' meeting. Apple had actively looked for alternative means of producing its products, he said. It had also approached eco organisations to help it achieve this - only to learn that Apple was the first electronics company these groups had actually heard from.
Apple extends olive branch
Apple could help Greenpeace improve its measuring technology, Steve Jobs said. He argued that while he agreed with the idea of an environmental report card for companies, it had to be based on real science.
"Something that simple could go so far in our opinion. We are not going to set up a big infrastructure to engage environmental groups. We are really interested in getting the work done."
