Ideal Bite

Greener Video Gaming

Got Game?

11.06.2009

Submitted by tmeronek on Fri, 11/06/2009 - 12:00am.

The Bite:

Have the skills to take your (or your kids') gaming to the next level? Put aside the joystick for just a minute, and check out our tips for greening your gaming habit. Don't pause.

The Benefits:

Turning off your console when you're not using it saves major energy.
Using rechargeable batteries and lowering energy use averts waste and adds up to big money savings.
Green games teach toddlers to adults how to live eco-friendlier.
Downloading games equals instant gratification, amounts to zero packaging, and averts one ton of CO2 for every DVD-size package. Likewise, buying used avoids the production of new materials.

Personally Speaking:

Wii Bowling virgin Mike played about 100 games in a row - and despite the fact that the control weighs less than a pound, his arm was sore the next day.

Wanna Try:

Unplug consoles when they're not in use (plug 'em into this power strip for lazy-proof, remote controlled on and off), and use your game system only for games (watching a Blu-ray on your PlayStation 3 console, for example, takes five times as much power as on a Blu-ray player).
Use rechargeable batteries to keep your wireless controllers energized.
Download games instead of buying or renting them to save on transport energy and packaging (or buy used).
Choose green games - kids can learn how to combat global warming and recycle with games like Climate Challenge, Plan it Green, Recyclorama, SimCity Societies, and Viva Piñata.
Go for a Wii if you're deciding which system to buy - it'll only use 16 watts of energy when in active mode (vs. 119 for PlayStation and 150 for Xbox).
Use the Power Save mode on your PlayStation.
Recycle your video games and consoles.

Cocktail Fact

Both the original Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man arcade games have bugs in their 256th levels that make them unplayable.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 PlayStation 3 players turn off their consoles when they're not using them, we'll save enough electricity to power 600 homes for a year.

6 comments

Email This

Tips Like This

Laura on November 06, 2009 at 06:28 AM 1

I agree with all but one point. Though it may take a Blueray player less energy to play a movie than it does a game station, I can't imagine the environmental impact is less in owning both devices once you factor in the energy and materials used to make the Blueray player, package it, ship it and, ultimately, dispose of it. Unless maybe you watched a movie a day every day for several years. I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised.

Richard on November 06, 2009 at 08:07 AM 2

I'd like to understand how the creation and distribution of a single DVD can be responsible for a TON of CO2? Maybe it does, but that claim just doesn't make sense to me...

cheryl on November 06, 2009 at 08:35 AM 3

Confused?? Check out thestoryofstuff.com It is a 20 minute video, amazing, and a little heartbreaking at the same time.

Sherry on November 06, 2009 at 09:32 AM 4

I plan on sharing this with my 12 year old son and his friends. Kids are taught about this at schools these days but when they get home they forget. We've started using power strips in many locations in our house so we can "turn off" with a single click and know we got it all, this is a great reminder on how that helps. Thanks for the good work.

Russel on November 07, 2009 at 03:28 AM 5

I didn't even know about any of this information and I've been gaming sense I could hold a controller, I'm going to start doing most of this now that I know how easy it is!

Mary Davenport on November 09, 2009 at 06:41 AM 6

These are some great tips for green gaming. We are hopeful that there are going to be many who will take you up on that. I am sure that most people in the world do not know about the amount of CO2 it takes for each DVD. casino online

Post new comment

target='_blank'>

border='0' alt='' />

Got Game?

Cocktail Fact

Bang For The Bite

Tips Like This

Other Related Content

Post new comment

Sign Up