The following editorial appeared in the San Jose Mercury News:

Hats off to Apple. Seldom does a company of its size and prominence have the courage to so quickly admit it made a mistake.

The trendsetter’s decision Friday to rejoin the prominent green technology registry it had just left re-establishes Apple’s commitment to sustainability. It also maintains the company’s leadership role in influencing competitors to be environmentally aware.

Apple’s first priority has to be making profits for its shareholders. It does this by making the best products it can for the lowest possible price. But part of Apple’s brand — and appeal — is that its products not only look sleek and cool but also meet the highest environmental standards set by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, system. Apple actually helped set those standards, which made its sudden exit so surprising.

The standards, backed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, determine whether Apple’s products can be purchased by many governmental agencies, including the University of California system.

Silicon Valley is working hard to make green technology part of its brand. Another part of that effort is tech companies’ ability to adapt. Fortunately, the valley’s most prominent company had the ability to rethink a challenging decision, change its mind on a dime — and renew its green cred.