Apple Plucks Former EPA Chief

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Former US Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson will be joining tech-giant Apple as vice president of environmental initiatives. Apple CEO Tim Cook made the announcement speaking at the D: All Things Digital conference last Tuesday with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher.

“I’m incredibly impressed with Apple’s commitment to the environment and I’m thrilled to be joining the team,” Jackson said in a statement released by Apple. “Apple has shown how innovation can drive real progress by removing toxics from its products, incorporating renewable energy in its data center plans and continually raising the bar for energy efficiency in the electronics industry. I look forward to helping support and promote these efforts, as well as leading new ones in the future aimed at protecting the environment.”

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The news of Jackson’s hire has been welcomed by environmental advocacy groups, including Greenpeace;

“Apple has made a bold move in hiring Lisa Jackson, a proven advocate with a track record of combating toxic waste and the dirty energy that causes global warming, two of Apple’s biggest challenges as it continues to grow,” said Greenpeace senior IT analyst Gary Cook. “Jackson can make Apple the top environmental leader in the tech sector by helping the company use its influence to push electric utilities and governments to provide the clean energy that both Apple and America need right now.”

It is a step in the right direction for a company which has previously come under a lot of heat for its manufacturing processes, as well as its treatment of out-sourced employees. Jackson has the opportunity to step into an existing tech-giant and steer the ship towards greener shores.