Greenpeace has known for quite sometime that picking on Apple is a great way to get headlines. The company reasons that, as an industry trend-setter in terms of design, Apple should also take the lead in terms of environmental-friendliness.

Certainly Greenpeace's cause is noble. Keeping the planet clean and habitable are near the top of just about everyone's list these days. They also have a point with Apple: the company loves to fancy itself the choice of the young ultra-hip urban progressive crowd. As such, Apple should be compelled to get itself into the thick of the greening craze so popular with the kids these days.

But let's call this latest move as it is: a cheap PR pitch to get some airplay by way of the iPhone's popularity. The last Green Technology rankings were received by the press with a much more tepid response than in the past, and most of the headlines these days seem to be going to the "carbon neutral" programs so popular these days.

So, Greenpeace decided to get some attention by going after the most written about device on the planet.

The report notes that the iPhone contains PVC and Brominated Flame Retardants. While both substances are said to be potentially toxic and are among the top targets on clean-up plans, neither is illegal within a mobile phone and other manufacturers regularly use both.

There's also no element of Apple lying or going back on its word, the company said that it would not be phasing either substance out until 2008.

What's left? Buzz. Greenpeace saw the wave of iPhone press and all of the people riding it and said "us too." As honorable as the cause may be, this was a particularly cheap shot.