With every passing year, the climate crisis burns on and changes must be made to save the planet. Across all industries, business leaders are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and become sustainable. The gaming industry is no different, with everyone from game designers to avid gamers beginning to help the cause. Although there has been a push towards more recyclable materials being used, the shift towards cloud gaming is guzzling up around 156% more energy. On the flip side, much less packaging and fewer discarded games are being placed in landfills. Throughout this article, we will discuss sustainability in the gaming industry.
Shift from Land to Online
The gambling side of the gaming industry accounts for a large majority and is one of the largest industries. Moving away from land casinos is a great way to help the environment because there is no need for people to travel, no waste is generated, and no construction is needed. Already, thousands of online casinos host everyone’s favourite games, and even those providers are attempting to use renewable energy sources. If you want to start making a difference, support online gaming providers and look for a casino bonus from a site that uses less energy.
Studios Making Adjustments
Game studios can make a concerted effort to include carbon efficiency in their business plans. For example, Space Ape has pledged their desire to reach complete carbon neutrality. To do this, they are using more energy-friendly providers, offering a shuttle service to employees, and pushing recycling through additional bins. Although these changes aren’t enormous, they’re significant enough that if every studio adopted them, the impact would be phenomenal.
Joining Non-Profits
Non-profits are committed to making positive changes globally and Playing for the Planet is no different. Many game studios have joined the initiative to combat climate change. Through the non-profit, important gaming studios are planting trees and pushing for more recycling.
E-Waste Recycling
Many gamers upgrade their tech regularly and have no idea how to sustainably. In fact, there is an estimated 50 million metric tons of e-waste produced every year. When these products are put into landfills, harmful substances, including arsenic, lead, and mercury, can have a detrimental impact on the soil. In Canada, there are countless places to drop off old tech, including stores, non-profits, and specialist waste events.
Right to Repair
Many gaming manufacturers make it practically impossible for their customers to carry out repairs. Unfortunately, this means that people buy new ones and create even more waste. Therefore, “Right to Repair” movements have emerged all over the world that are fighting for consumer rights regarding the ease of repair.
The gaming industry is enormous, and it’s only going to grow even more. Unfortunately, such growth means that there’s more capacity for it to cause damage to the environment. Fortunately, there are plenty of sustainable practices that studios and gamers can adopt to do their part. Whether 100% sustainability is attainable comes down to a waiting game.