Every few months the Greenpeace website publishes a study of the greenest electronics companies. These companies are rated from 1 to 10 according to their environmentally sustainable practices versus the demands of Greenpeace’s Guide to Greener Electronics. The demands are that electronics companies 1.)"Clean up their products by eliminating hazardous substances, 2.) Takeback and recycle their products responsibly once they become obsolete, 3.) Reduce the climate impacts of their operations and products."
It turns out there’s a lot of very harmful and poisonous substances used in the making of our Nintendo and Microsoft products. Electronics often contain many hazardous chemicals and metals like mercury and lead, which both cause serious hazard to children and pregnant women even if there's very little exposure. These chemicals and metals can leech into groundwater, infecting the land and water supplies.
Greenpeace is comparing our major manufacturers to show which companies are using safer products and allowing you the consumer, to easily recycle that broken monitor from the 90’s or that old cell phone.
Nintendo was in last place with 1.4 points out of 10, and CO2 emissions on the rise. Tsk Tsk. That’s a pretty pathetic score for a company that puts out revolutionary games and game systems. Nintendo seems to be lacking some serious corporate social responsibility.
Nokia was in first place, with 7.5 points. Pros included an extensive take-back program to recycle or properly dispose of used phones. However, despite Nokia’s efforts to advertise the service to customers, their recycle rate is only a sad 3-5%.
Apple is rated at 4.9 points, given the most points out of the companies rated for safe use of toxic chemicals areas, but lower scores on waste and energy criteria.
Read the full article here, on Greenpeace's website.
-Tristia VanNiekerk
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