A great report over on GamePro today takes a look at the environmental impact of the video game industry. Those yearning for a brighter future (and can take solace in incremental improvements), you'll like what you see.
From better power management features in consoles and handhelds to a reduction in the carbon footprint of the discs games are printed on, the report finds that in the past five years, the video game industry has taken steps to make itself more environmentally responsible.
Less attractive is the fact that the disposal of old or unwanted consoles is still a big problem, especially in less developed nations, with gaming machines contributing to an estimated 20-50 million tonnes of "e-waste" a year.
I'm reminded of my time working at an EB Games here in Australia, when I asked a regional manager what happened to all the unsold second-hand consoles that used to pile up out the back. His response was that they were sold off to nations like Pakistan, where he claimed they were then passed on to retailers.
With Greenpeace claiming moves like this can often be a cover for simply dumping the stuff, though, I wonder if that's really what happened.
How Green Is My Game? [GamePro]