Apple names former EPA admin as environmental officer

Apple's hired a new top level executive to oversee its environmental efforts.

Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday announced that the company's hired Lisa Jackson, the former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to guide its environmental footprint.

Cook, who dropped the news during an on-stage interview at the D11 conference, noted that he didn't know Jackson's formal title, but that she'd be reporting directly to him and would be coordinating "environmental efforts" across the company. CNET has reached out to Apple for more information.

During her tenure at the EPA, Jackson focused on air quality, climate change and water quality, along with cleanup from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Jackson resigned as the EPA's administrator suddenly at the end of last year, and left office in February. Prior to that she was the chief of staff for New Jersey's governor.

The hire comes as Apple has reached 75 percent renewable energy at its corporate facilities, and even higher at some of its data centers and its headquarters. The company has also attempted to trim down materials in its products, including the latest iMac, which uses 68 percent less material than the previous models. Critics, have still chided the company for not doing more.

CNET Editor at Large Dan Farber contributed to this report.