Enviromental Effects of Gaming & What We Can Do – Blog Action Day 09
As gamers we are as guilty as the rest of the world for over indulging in electricity fueled entertainment. We shouldn’t feel guilty about gaming in-general, just more conscious about what we’re contributing to, and what we can do to minimize our carbon footprint. Its easy to say it doesn’t matter, or that if you weren’t gaming you would be doing something else which uses electricity, and it’s probably true. But there are things we can do to make our gaming habits more power efficient, which intern helps reduce carbon emissions. Unfortunately, like a lot of environmental options, they are more expensive than the norm, but since when has the cheapest option in life been the best? Check out the tips after the break:
- + Switch your power provider to a renewable energy company, or see if your existing company can provide you with renewable energy.
- + The latest chipsets of the Xbox 360 and the PS3 Slim are much more energy efficient than older models, so trade in your launch console for a fresh new one.
- + Make sure the sleep setting is enabled on your consoles, as by default they aren’t.
- + Turn your console off if your not using it. Consoles use nearly as much power while idle as actively playing a game, so turn it off if your away from your console, or know you won’t return to it anytime soon.
- + Adjust your TVs brightness settings to something more appropriate, as by default they are generally set at maximum which won’t be necessary for most people. (Assassins Creed on full brightness is an eye-burn-fest).
- + Or when buying a new TV research which option and model would be the most power efficient.
- + Sell your console, and buy a Cup & Ball or board game (not one requiring batteries though).
Now, these are all tips, not orders, as I didn’t want to sound preachy. What is important though is that you acknowledge that climate change is a very real issue, and normal people like you and me can make a difference if we choose.
If your interested in learning more, this detailed report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (USA) has some
Now onto something a little different… FlOwer on the PS3 is a beautiful game with a subtle, if not blatant environmental message. If you haven’t played it, then the premise is pretty simple. You control a flower petal being propelled by the wind, with the aim to collide with various other different coloured types of flowers, which further adds to your petal chain you, ala snake and all those sorts of games. Beauty in this game is portrayed by rich colours, calm music and natural environments (Often lined with wind turbines). Where as your faceless enemy is the dark and desolate city, which is represented with increasingly erratic music, dark and desaturated colours and stormy weather.
The nice thing is that after you rid the city enviroments of the broken twisted metal scattered around it, it shows the city in a clean and beautiful light. Which to me is a very clear message from the developers, That Game Company that we are the bad guys on this planet, but we can change things and live with the environment, opposed to against it. Either that, or that flower petals will be the doom of us all… Leave any thoughts in the comments, and check out the official trailer for flOwer if you haven’t seen the video.
