Greenpeace Ranks Console Manufacturers – Nintendo Tanks

It’s time again for Greenpeace International’s “Guide to Greener Electronics,” a report they’ve been putting together every three or four months for the past couple years that compares the manufacturing and processing policies of different consumer electronics giants.

Why should any gamer be concerned with more than the amount of juice their consoles suck up on a monthly basis? Well, December’s guide is the first to include both Nintendo and Microsoft on the list at rather surprising positions, flavoring it with the distinctly sour taste of “system wars.” But hey, who are we to begrudge a fanboy his fresh talking points?

Sony, a rapidly improving member from the start, has hopped up to an impressive 7.3 (out of 10), while the company’s mobile phone division, Sony Ericsson, takes the crown with a 7.7 Greenpeace cites electronics mostly free of PVC and other harmful chemicals as part of the success, as well as improved recycling policies.

Microsoft falls far, far below at a dismal 2.7 with shoddy take-back practices and no quick solution to removing toxins from their production lines.

Nintendo, known for its “clean” image (both in terms of game content and aesthetic design), performed even worse – “the first global brand to score zero across all criteria.” Now, before you throw on a tie-dye shirt and organize a sit-in at NoA headquarters, take a closer look at the details. A quick skim through the company’s in-depth report reveals that the score results from a distinct lack of information. According to Greenpeace, either Nintendo needs to cough up the data or they’re guilty as charged.

So there you have it, environmentally-concerned gamers. Keep in mind, though, that both Microsoft and Sony manufacture various electronic devices, while Nintendo only prints money.