[_jsn]

Apple's packaging does not necessarily optimize for recyclable materials (though they do, sometimes). More importantly, they optimize for space efficiency.

The last few generations of iMac come in a box that is sloped on one edge, whereas they used to be a standard rectangular prism. This unusual reduction in size allows them to tessellate the boxes in shipping and fit significantly more boxes on each airplane. This saves the company millions (literally millions of dollars from a seemingly-minor packaging change!) and also reduces the amount of jet fuel being burned to ship them around the world. Everyone wins, environment included.

But yes, it is also true that your lightning cables come wrapped in a little plastic thing. It would be nice to choose a more biodegradable material for that sort of thing.