Nintendo scores zero on Greenpeace report

Greenpeace has released its quarterly “Guide to Greener Electronics,” which ranks consumer electronics manufacturers and their policies regarding toxic chemicals and recycling. Sony Ericsson and Samsung took the top spot in the report, each scoring 7.7 out of 10. Both companies reportedly did well in reducing toxic chemicals.

For the first time since the rankings were issued in 2006, Greenpeace has included game consoles in recognition of their growing importance. Sony earned one of the highest scores given with a 7.3, while Microsoft scored a mere 2.7 due to its pledge to eliminate toxic chemicals only by 2011. Interestingly, Nintendo’s first appearance on the list has them in dead last place, with a score of 0.

The maker of the popular Wii console reportedly failed to disclose to customers what chemicals were used in their products. In other words, their information was not publicly available, so they got a 0. Sure, Nintendo should be more open about their environmental and recycling policies, but to say that they are the largest polluter among console makers based on this information is simply deceiving. I'm all in for greener products, but this just feels like Greenpeace picking a symbolic target to stir up some attention.