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Living as a 'green gamer' -- reuse and buy local
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Don't trash those old games: reuse them instead
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article showing the difference in power usage between older game systems and modern ones. It seemed to really resonate with a lot of people, and generated a tremendous amount of positive feedback. After spending some more time thinking about the concept of being a ‘green gamer’, I realized that reducing energy usage isn’t the only thing you can do to introduce a little ‘green living’ into your gaming. There’s another, even more basic, way that just about every classic gamer actively does already, and might not even know it; recycling.
Think about it for a moment; that pile of Super Nintendo games that you have had since you were a kid. You’ve never thrown them out. They’ve been with your through high school, college, and now live happily with you and your family. You play them every so often, and maybe you’ve gotten out that old copy of Super Mario World for the kids, to get them hooked on the same great games that you loved as a child. Whether you realize it or not, you’ve actually helped to reduce waste. By keeping your old game systems and playing them, rather than buying new ones, you’ve personally kept that much waste from hitting a landfill somewhere, in addition to the lower power usage of older video game consoles.
A great example of this is if you have a young nephew that is at the age where he is interested in video games. Rather than having his parents purchase a brand-new game system, try passing along your old Sega Genesis and a box of games to them instead. When they don’t want the system anymore, encourage them to pass it along to another young player they might know. This mindset can also apply to buying modern game systems as well. By purchasing used games and systems, fewer materials are hitting the landfills. Considering how much plastic and paper products are consumed creating the packaging for your average game or system, the waste created can add up very quickly. To push the idea one step further, consider the concept of reducing your ‘gaming footprint’ by reselling or repurposing games and systems you no longer use. Simplifying and downsizing is a great way to shake out a lot of the clutter and wasted space in your home, and in turn, you can pass along titles that you no longer want to other gamers, and avoid creating more of the waste that comes from all that packaging. Reusing and repurposing items is the most basic, and easiest, form of recycling.
Another thing to consider is rethinking the way you buy used games and systems. Certainly, eBay has become a tremendous resource for those that are looking to pick up an old NES to help relive their childhood, but have you thought about the possible environmental repercussions? When you purchase something from an auction site, usually it’s from a seller that is across the country, or even across the globe. This generally involves shipping of some kind using one of the major carriers, and that in turn, increases the carbon footprint of your purchase due to the pollution created moving it to you. One of the ways around this is to try and find retro games and systems locally. Many times, you can find a great deal on an old video game console on sites like Craigslist. And since you’re dealing directly with a real live person, often the price can be negotiated pretty easily. One recent example is my friend James, who found a Panasonic 3DO FZ-1 for sale for $20 on Craigslist here in Minneapolis. After calling the person who was offering it, he was able to not only negotiate a same-day pickup less than 3 blocks from where he works, but was also able to get the system for free because the seller simply wanted to get rid of it. Another secret weapon of the classic game collector is the tried and true method of checking out the local yard sales. These can be a fantastic way to not only reduce the carbon footprint of a game or system purchase, but also to find really great deals that you might not otherwise have known existed. A good friend of mine recently purchased a selection of older games and systems, along with a television to play them on, for around $25! And since the auction was in such close vicinity to his home, he was back at his house playing in no-time, which helped keep the carbon footprint of his purchase to a minimum. If you're not terribly keen on the idea of garage sales or Craigslist, you might check to see if there's a used game store nearby. Places like Play N Trade are great for this, as they offer a full selection of retro video games and systems. Certainly, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t ever shop on sites like eBay or Chase the Chuckwagon, there are going to be many times where you won’t find an item anywhere else but there. However, it’s definitely worth the small amount of time it takes to try and find what you’re looking for locally first; for the environment, and your wallet.
These are only a few of the easy ways to help you take your ‘green gaming’ even further. If you can think of any that you’d like to see featured here, I’d love to hear about them! Sharing your ideas not only helps everyone to become a bit more conscious about the impact that their gaming obsession has on the environment, it also helps to keep the spirit of this fantastic hobby alive for future generations to enjoy.
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I thrive on your feedback. If you have something to say, please leave a comment below. You can also reach me via email at tim@commandertim.com, and please feel free to visit my personal internet tube at commandertim.com.
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