The Webby awards were announced this week, and among the winners was a Greenpeace site calling for Apple to make its products more environmentally friendly. In classic Steve Jobs fashion, the Apple mastermind fired back, posting an open letter on Apple’s own site. It’s hard to imagine how Apple could not respond to something like this, since it’s built its whole image around being one of the most forward-thinking companies out there. Yet in responding, Jobs was forced to give at least a few details about future product plans–undoubtedly taking some of the wind out of the sails that are Apple’s super-secretive product announcements. Among Jobs’ announcements was that it will ship its first Macs with light-emitting diode (LED) display technology this year. The move will enable the company to incorporate less arsenic and mercury in its products by reducing its use of liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). This news likely corroborates rumors that have been circulating for the past few months which claim that the 13.3- or 15.4-inch MacBook will be refreshed with an LED in 2007.Jobs also claims that starting this summer, customers can return their old iPods to any Apple retail store in the world for free recycling. He also pledges to continue Apple’s efforts to reduce its use of other toxic substances like cadmium, hexavalent chromium (which may ring a bell as the deadly carcinogen that Erin Brokovich fought against), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. Jobs ends by promising to continue to “openly discuss plans to become a greener Apple.” Note the conspicuous absence of the word “product” before “plans.” While Jobs surely wants to minimize the need to discuss product details before the products themselves are announced, his letter feels like an open door that’s too late to close. Technology Industry