Gaming Consoles Among Least Environment-Friendly Gadgets

RELATED STORIES

YOU ARE HERE: Home » All Entries, Main Stories, Press Releases & Statements » Gaming Consoles Among Least Environment-Friendly Gadgets

PUBLISHED ON November 28, 2007 AT 1:50 PM

Greenpeace ‘green electronics guide’ now also lists TVs

Manila/Amsterdam, 28 November 2007–Game consoles are among the least
environment-friendly electronic gadgets, Greenpeace revealed today with
the release of the 6th edition of the Greenpeace Guide to Greener
Electronics. The Guide, first launched in August 2006 and rates PC and
mobile phone manufacturers on their environmental practices, has been
expanded this month to include gaming consoles and television sets.
Video game market leader Nintendo lands at the bottom of the ranking
guide with a score of zero out of a possible 10 points, followed by TV
manufacturer Philips (2.0) and Microsoft (2.7).

The global games consoles sector is the fastest growing sector of the
electronics industry and is dominated by only three companies, Nintendo,
Sony, and Microsoft. In 2006, the industry shipped 62.7 million units
worldwide. But the low scores from leading manufacturers Nintendo and
Microsoft reveal that they still have a long way to go in improving
their environmental policies and practices. Nintendo is the first
company to score zero in all criteria, namely on policy and practice on
the use of hazardous chemicals, and on take back and recycling discarded
products.

“It has been more than a year since we introduced the Greenpeace Guide
to Greener Electronics and in that time we’ve seen how mobile phone and
PC companies have aspired to improve their environmental policies on
toxic chemicals and take back systems. Greenpeace is campaigning to
green the electronics industry as a whole. By looking at other sectors
of the electronics industry like gaming consoles, we hope this ranking
guide can also encourage a similar shift in their environmental
policies,” said Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner Beau Baconguis.

The new edition of the quarterly guide also shows important changes at
the top of the ranking. Sony Ericsson has now taken the top spot,
followed by Samsung, and Sony. Nokia, which has held the top spot since
June 2007, has slid down to number nine, and, along with Motorola has
been given penalty points. Greenpeace tested the implementation of
product takeback programs in six countries where Motorola, Nokia, and
Sony Ericsson claim on their websites to operate product takeback
programs. Nokia representatives in the Philippines, Thailand, Argentina,
Russia, and India were not informed about their companies’ global
policies and in many cases provided misleading information. Motorola
staff in the Philippines, Thailand, and India were unable to direct
customers to collection points in their respective countries.

Apple, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba have recently
indicated that they now produce personal computers, lighting LCD panels,
camcorders and digital cameras–or at least major components of these
items–which are free of PVC and/or BFRs.

Firms which are upwardly mobile in the Greenpeace Guide are those whose
entire products, or major components of products, are entirely free of
specified hazardous ingredients. Companies which simply commit to
eliminating harmful chemicals sometime in the future achieve a lower score.

“Commitments to coming clean in the future are no longer sufficient to
secure a top place in the ranking,” said Baconguis. “Companies that
aspire to environmental leadership need to be putting products on the
market that are free of harmful chemicals. And they need to offer
customers, wherever they are, a service to take back old products for
recycling responsibly,” she added.

The complete ranking guide can be viewed and downloaded at:
http://www.greenpeace.org.ph/guide

IMPORTANT NOTICE: INBOX is an archive of press releases, statements, announcements, letters to the editors, and manifestos sent to PinoyPress for publication. Please email your materials to pinoypress @ gmail.com. PinoyPress is not responsible for the content of these materials. The opinion expessed in these items does not reflect those of PinoyPress and its staff. Please refer to our terms of use/disclaimer.

RSS feed • Subscribe via email • Discuss

Leave a Comment (Moderated)

THE NEWS IN PICTURES

End The War. Members of the youth group Anakbayan denounce the war being waged by the government in Mindanao against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Where Are They? Relatives, friends and colleagues of victims of enforced disappearances commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared with lighted lanterns and photographs at the Plaza Miranda and in Mendiola on Aug. 30. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Free at Last. The so-called Tagaytay 5 -- Aris Sarmiento, Axel Pinpin, Riel Custodio, Michael Masayes and Rico Ybañez -- shown here inside their prison cell during their incarceration, were freed yesterday. “The dismissal of trumped-up charges and release of Tagaytay 5 is a victory for human rights,” said Ruth Cervantes, Karapatan's public information officer. (Photo: freetagaytay5.net)

Displaced. Residents of North Cotabato have been the ones badly affected by the military offensives launched against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. "As the government continues to indiscriminately drop bombs on Moro and Christian villages in Aleosan and Pikit, more and more civilians are displaced," said Kawagib, a Moro human-rights group.(Photo: Suara Bangsamoro/arkibongbayan.org)

In One Roof. Villagers who fled their homes after the clashes last week between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the south brought every human life with them, including their farm animals. They now live under one roof at an evacuation center in Pikit, North Cotabato. (Photo: Bong Sarmiento / Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project)

Emergency. A scene from "Ambulancia," a short film that tells of a painful twist in an ambulance driver's belief that a dying patient can be saved by running over stray animals on the streets. The award-winning film will be screened at the so-called "Woodstock of short films" in Germany. Richard Legaspi directed the film and it stars Alan Paule and Nor Domingo. (Contributed photo)

Sendoff. The Philippine Army dispatched today, Aug. 10, the 68th Infantry Battalion to Maguindanao. This battalion, together with the 46th Infantry Battalion from Samar, will augment the troops in Central Mindanao for the security operations that will be conducted to ensure peaceful elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao tomorrow. (Photo: Philippine Army)

Killings Denounced. Mindanao journalists gathered in General Santos City on Friday to denounce the recent attacks on their colleagues. On Monday, Dennis Cuesta, a Radio Mindanao Network commentator in General Santos, was shot and is fighting for his life. On Thursday, another RMN broadcaster, Martin Roxas of Capiz City, was shot dead. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

If This Wall Could Talk. With the pleasant scenery as a backdrop (and a constant reminder, perhaps, of a life they could have had), this poor family try to survive by actually living by the sidewalk outside the Chinese school in Davao City. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Undaunted. Activists from Anakbayan scuffle with the police as the Chevrolet Suburban carrying President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo passes by the junction before the newly built Bankerohan bridge in Davao City last week. The president was in the city for the declaration of the merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi parties. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Freedom Denied. Lex Adonis, a former broadcaster of Bombo Radyo in Davao City, inside the Davao Penal Colony, where he was jailed after House Speaker Prospero Nograles sued him for libel over a story involving the Davao congressman's alleged sexual relations with a woman other than his wife. Despite a court order, Adonis remains in jail. (File photo by davaotoday.com)

Tribute to Ka Bel. Activists, artists, friends and supporters troop to the Philippine Independent Church on Taft Avenue Monday night to honor AnakPawis Rep. Crispin Beltran, who died last week. Beltran will be buried in Bulacan today, after a ceremony honoring him at the House of Representatives, where he served for several terms as party-list congressman. (Photo by Ayi Muallam/pinoypress.net)

Rare Sight. Moro women students of a madrasah play volleyball during a break in barangay Ugalingan, Carmen, North Cotabato, last week. While Filipina Moros are considered relatively open in their lifestyle compared to Muslim women in other countries, scenes like this are not very common in Moro areas in Mindanao. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)

Ka Bel's Fight. An activist mourns the death of AnakPawis Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran, who died Tuesday. Ka Bel's remains lie in state at the IFI Cathedral in Manila. His colleagues, family and friends have lined up a series of tributes. Click here for the schedules, as well as statements and poems honoring Ka Bel. (Photo by courtesy of arkibongbayan)