The Apple brand has risen five spots in the Greenpeace "Guide to Greener Electronics.  Overall Apple finished in fourth place.  While many environmental experts believe that this is good news, they also state there is room for improvement.

The reason that Apple was ranked so highly is because the results were based on the environmental practices of the California plant.  The company has exceeded its own recycling goals and increased the use of renewable power.  Other steps Apple have taken include eliminating PVC plastic and brominated flame retardants from Apple products.  While fourth place in the list is not ideal, it is better than the previous years results.  Last spring Apple ranked last in the list of environmentally friendly electronic companies.

The companies that beat Apple in this poll are HP, Dell and Nokia.  They were ranked higher mainly due to the fact their products are more energy efficient.  These companies also have more sustainable practices in place in both their production facilities and their corporate offices.

Apple will need to improve their practices if they wish to rank higher in the next poll.  This is something that should not be overlooked as phone companies have been targeted by environment groups in recent times.  As the public is now becoming more aware of environmental issues there is more attention being paid to how corporations run their businesses.  Many businesses have recognized this and are moving in the right direction.  Some big changes may include issues such as how to dispose of waste.  Many companies have also put environmental work policies in place in order to encourage employees to be more conscious of the environmental consequences of their actions.