Greenpeace looks at games machines

Big three not "even close to making a greener console"

12 December 2007 10:59 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Greenpeace is continuing its worthy march through the consumer electronics industry with the launch of a new area of its website dedicated to games consoles.

Although most of us chose a console based on more selfish factors, such as exclusive games and home ent posssibilties, the environmental campigners are encouraging consumers to look at the wider impact our choices might have:

"These consoles contain toxic chemicals and can contribute to the massive growth of electronic waste that's often dumped, causing widespread environmental pollution and health problems for unprotected workers."

Greenpeace want the manufacturers to clean up their products by eliminating hazardous substances and takeback and recycle their products responsibly once they become obsolete.

They say that they have looked closely at Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo and states that: "none of these three seems even close to making a greener console".

Sony is critised for the PS3 being an "energy hog" although its recycling is praised, Microsfot fails miserably on recycling while family-friendly Nintendo has no current policy to elimainate toxics in its products.

If you're keen to see how green your beloved games machine is, then check out the site at greenpeace.org.