
Although no shortage of environmental groups and green-tech advocates continue to fault Apple for what they believe are the tech giant's consistent shortcomings in the pro-green technology movement, Apple is receiving high praise in one area of its operation today.
Apple - along with Hewlett-Packard and Intel - are being hailed as pioneers of progress for using clear minerals that don't fund armed groups in Central Africa. The Enough Project, as summarized by the AP, ranked companies in terms of the steps they have taken to ensure that their mobile devices aren't indirectly helping to pay for the weapons used to murder and terrorize Congolese civilians.
As it turns out, Congo houses 70 percent of the world’s supply of tantalum, which is used in cellphone manufacturing. Congo also contains massive amounts of tin, gold, copper and cobalt.
Armed groups vying for control of these riches have used profits from illegal mining to purchase weapons used in gruesome attacks on civilians. In other cases, they have captured people and forced them to do the digging.
The Enough Project maintains that it's goal isn't necessarily to urge companies to stop purchasing minerals from the countries where conflict continues, but rather to inform them about what's taking place and, consequently, to make informed decisions in the future.
Source: AP
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