Greenpeace Criticizes Nintendo and Microsoft's Environmental Records

Nintendo has once again finished dead last in the Guide to Greener Electronics compiled by environmental activist organization Greenpeace, with Microsoft performing only slightly better on the organization's rating scale. Greenpeace's latest report actually praised Nintendo for introducing an Energy Star-rated efficient AC adapter for the Nintendo DSi, and for meeting Europe's newly approved guidelines for energy-using products on both the Wii and DSi. The report also positively notes Microsoft's release of the new Xbox 360 Slim, which uses 50 percent less energy than the old Xbox 360 model. But the report continues to criticize both companies for failing to provide sufficient support and information about electronics recycling programs, air pollution reduction efforts and removal of harmful materials in its hardware manufacturing. Sony Ericsson finished in a tie for sixth among the 18 major electronics manufacturers included in the report, though Greenpeace primarily focused on the company's cell phone production in compiling its rankings. Earlier this year, Nintendo responded to a similar report from Greenpeace with a vociferous defense of its environmental protection efforts. "We consider the environmental impact of our products over their entire life cycle, from planning to disposal," Nintendo wrote in a statement at the time. "We also consider the importance of reducing environmental impact at end-of-life disposal by clearly indicating the materials used in each product to make recycling easier." In a 2008 interview with Gamasutra, Greenpeace campaign coordinator Zeina Al-Hajj said the goal of the report was to start a dialogue with the major console makers that leads to greener production processes. "The aim is to get a game console with environmental features on the market, in terms of it being as energy efficient as possible, and being green in terms of its chemical usage," Al-Hajj said. The new report marks the 11th time Nintendo has finished last in Greenpeace's report since first being ranked by the organization in late 2007. Microsoft's ranking has bounced up and down among the latter half of listed companies during the same time period.