Apple is making less pollution
Listen to the story (American accent)
Apple’s latest report shows that the company is working hard on its climate goals.
In 2024, Apple created less greenhouse gasses that warm the planet. It cut this pollution by 800,000 metric tons compared to 2023, a 5 percent decrease. Apple also says that over the last ten years, its total pollution has gone down by more than 60 percent.
The company uses clean energy, like wind and solar power. It also designs products to have less impact on Earth. Apple asks its suppliers to use clean energy too. Apple says its suppliers helped avoid almost 24 million metric tons of pollution last year.
Apple is also trying to reduce special gasses called F-GHGs. These gasses are made when building computer chips and screens. Apple reported that all its screen suppliers promised to cut these gasses by 90 percent. Some computer chip suppliers for Apple promised the same thing.
The company used more recycled materials in its products last year. Almost one quarter of all materials in Apple products were recycled. For example, over 80 percent of rare earth elements came from recycling in 2024.
Even with these decreases, Apple still produced 15.3 million metric tons of pollution in 2024. That's about the same as 40 big power plants that burn gas for a year.
Apple started to measure its climate goals in 2015. It made 38.4 million metric tons of pollution that year.
Apple has big goals for the future. By 2030, it wants to cut its pollution by 75 percent compared to 2015. By 2050, it aims to cut 90 percent of its pollution.
Vocabulary38 words
- Latest
- newest; most recent;
- Report
- a written description of an event; story; article; the results of a study or project
- Show
- to prove something or make the truth or existence of something known; confirm; demonstrate; to display; to represent
- Climate goal
- Something the company/government wants to do to help the Earth's weather and nature
- Goal
- aim or purpose; objective; target; something you want to achieve or complete
- Greenhouse gas
- gasses in Earth's atmosphere (sky) that trap heat; gasses that are bad for the environment
- Planet
- a large object in space that orbits (goes around) a star (Earth is a planet ?)
- Cut
- to reduce the amount or number of something; to make less
- Pollution
- damage caused to water, air, etc. by harmful substances like chemicals or waste
- Metric ton
- 1,000 kilograms (kg)
- Decrease
- to go down; to become less; become smaller
- Over
- during; in
- Clean energy
- energy generated from renewable sources (wind, solar, water, etc.) without creating greenhouse gasses (CO2)
- Solar
- of or related to the sun; produced by or coming from the sun ?
- Solar power
- Energy that comes from the sun and can be used to generate/create electricity
- Design
- The way something is planned and made to look; the way something is made
- Product
- something that is made to be sold or used by people; things you buy in a shop
- Impact
- influence; effect; consequence; to make change
- Earth
- the planet/world we live on ?
- Supplier
- A company that sells things to another company
- Avoid
- stay away from; keep away; try not to do
- Million
- 1,000,000 = one-million
- Reduce
- to make less; make smaller; decrease; bring down; shrink
- Computer chip
- a small electronic thing inside computers; a set of electronic circuits on a small flat piece of silicon:
- Screen
- The part of a phone or computer you look at
- Report
- to tell other people about something; to share information; announce; explain
- Promise
- To say you will definitely do something
- Recycle
- to use again; to change trash into something useable; repurpose; ♻️
- Material
- a physical thing that you use to build or make other things (cotton is a common material used to make t-shirts)
- One quarter
- ¼; one-fourth; 25%; One part out of four equal parts
- Rare earth elements
- 17 different “metals” that are similar and found underground
- Even
- also; used to show that something is surprising, unusual, unexpected, or extreme
- Produce
- to create or make something
- Power plant
- A place where electricity is made; A big building that makes electricity ⚡?
- Burn
- to set something on fire or to make something to be destroyed by fire; to start a fire; ?
- Gas
- fuel that is like air and can be burned to make energy; a substance in a form like air that is used as a fuel for heating and cooking
- Measure
- to discover the exact size or amount of something; to learn or figure out the size or weight of something; calculate; quantify
- Future
- opposite of the past; the time that is coming later;
Quiz
Answer key
1. It made less. 2. Cut them by 90 percent. 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Apple’s _____ report shows that the company is working hard on its _____ goals.
In 2024, Apple created _____ greenhouse gasses that warm the planet. It cut this pollution by _____ metric tons compared to 2023, a 5 _____ decrease. Apple also says that over the last ten years, its total _____ has gone down by more than 60 percent.
_____ company uses clean energy, like wind and solar power. It _____ designs products to have less impact on Earth. Apple _____ its suppliers to use clean energy too. Apple says its _____ helped avoid almost 24 million _____ tons of pollution last year.
Apple is also _____ to reduce special gasses called F-GHGs. _____ gasses are made when building computer chips and _____. Apple reported that all its screen suppliers promised to cut _____ gasses by 90 percent. Some computer chip _____ for Apple promised the same thing.
The _____ used more recycled materials in its products _____ year. Almost one quarter of all materials in Apple _____ were recycled. For example, over 80 percent of rare _____ elements came from recycling in 2024.
_____ with these decreases, Apple still produced _____ million metric tons of pollution in 2024. That's about the same as _____ big power plants that burn gas for a year.
_____ started to measure its climate goals in 2015. It made 38.4 million metric _____ of pollution that year.
Apple _____ big goals for the future. By 2030, it wants to cut its pollution by _____ percent compared to 2015. By 2050, it aims to cut 90 percent of _____ pollution.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think it is important for big companies like Apple to try to reach climate goals?
- What do you think is the best way for companies to reduce their pollution?
- Does this report give you a positive image of Apple as a company? Why or why not?
- Do you think Apple's goals for 2030 and 2050 are possible to reach? Explain your answer.
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