Apple Releases New Earth Day Video at Sustainable Brands Event

Apple today shared a new Earth Day 2017 video on its YouTube channel, which comes more than a month after Earth Day took place.

The video, which follows the theme of the previous Earth Day spots Apple released, focuses on Liam, Apple's recycling robot that strips iPhones down to their component parts.

The ad was created by Apple environment lead Lisa Jackson and her team to mark Apple's attendance at Sustainable Brands 2017, a Detroit conference for business leaders committed to brand value creation through sustainability.

Sarah Chandler, Apple's Director of Operations and Environmental Initiatives, was in Detroit to speak at the event, where she talked about Apple's latest pledge to achieve a closed-loop supply chain. Chandler works under Lisa Jackson and is responsible for Apple's effort to use greener materials, conserve finite resources, and reduce the environmental impact of the company's supply chain.

Apple first announced its goal to use 100 percent recycled materials for products ahead of Earth Day, with the publishing of its 2017 Environmental Responsibility Report. Apple's eventual goal is to stop mining the earth for rare minerals and metals by focusing more heavily on recycled products.

"We're actually doing something we rarely do, which is announce a goal before we've figured out how to do it," Lisa Jackson said in April. "So we're a little nervous, but we also think it's really important, because as a sector we believe it's where technology should be going."

Liam, the robot featured in today's extra Earth Day video, will play an important role helping Apple reach its goal. Apple plans to double down on technologies like Liam, as well as put more effort into emphasizing its Apple Renew recycling program.