Apple Leaves U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Apple has been criticized by groups that monitor the green footprint of major manufacturers like Greenpeace for not being green enough – even Dell once jumped on the bandwagon. Apple has taken steps to green up its business and reduce the amount of pollutants that it produces. The company is now looking to change public opinion and is at odds with a major business lobbying group over its green policies.

Apple has announced that it is no longer a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce because Apple disagrees with the company’s climate change policy. Apple VP of government affairs Catherine Novelli wrote a letter to the chamber saying in part, “We would prefer that the chamber take a more progressive stance on this critical issue and play a constructive role in addressing the climate crisis. Novelli also wrote that Apple was withdrawing from the group “effective immediately.”

Apple isn’t the only company that has withdrawn from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over the last few months; three major utility companies withdrew as well including Exelon Corp, PG&E Corp, and PNM Resources Inc. All three of the utility firms withdrew citing the same issues with the Chamber of Commerce’s stance on climate change.

Reuters reports that other companies that are members of the Chamber have criticized the business organization for pushing for public hearings to challenge the scientific evidence of manmade climate change. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has stated that it prefers a “mainstream, common sense view” of climate change and does not support the climate bill passed by the House in June.

The Washington Post quotes Novelli from the letter writing, “Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in this effort.”

Thomas J. Donohue, president of the Chamber of Commerce said n a recent statement that the group “supports strong federal legislation” to protect the climate. However, the group feels that the cap and trade system to lower the cost of reducing emissions passed by the House of Representatives was flawed.

The Washington Post quotes a Chamber spokesman, Eric Wohlschlegel for an email statement writing, “While we’ll continue to represent the broad majority of our membership on this goal, we recognize that there are some companies who stand to gain more than others with the current options on the table.”