Do you think of sustainability when it comes to hardware? Probably not. Instead, one often thinks of plastic, packaging, and other materials. But not necessarily environmentally friendly products.
However, the topic of sustainability is making its way into the gaming industry. What is currently happening in the scene and who is paving the way? You’ll find out here. For gamers, the motto is: faster, higher, further. And always the latest and most powerful hardware, please to enjoy https://www.masonslots.com/en-CA/.
But even gamers are beginning to ponder sustainability issues. They are demanding more sustainable hardware. Unfortunately, such products have been all too rare – until now! Until now, hardware manufacturers hardly considered sustainability. The reasons for this are manifold. It starts with the fact that there are too few pioneers taking the first steps in hardware and setting an example.
Another reason lies in the global supply chains. These are already quite complex for simple products like cocoa or coffee. For hardware products, which are made up of numerous materials and individual components, the situation is even more complicated. Even willing manufacturers find it difficult to maintain sustainability throughout. The challenges of sourcing environmentally friendly materials or assuming responsibility for socially fair production are significant. Moreover, hardware is sensitive and has long supply routes from far east. Ideally arriving undamaged, which results in not skimping on packaging.
Here, environmental considerations take a backseat to product safety even though both could be addressed simultaneously! The same goes for recycling, which is still rarely pursued consistently.
Hardware Products – Challenges in Production and Lifecycle
It’s time for the industry to take more action. And indeed, there are many things possible. The first step is always the product itself. Products should be as durable as possible. The largest share of ecological impact always comes from production. When considering the product lifecycle, particular attention should be paid to repairability, disassemblability, and take-back and recycling programs. Next comes packaging. Here, hardware manufacturers can aim to use as little plastic as possible. For cardboard packaging, sustainably certified cartons with environmentally friendly inks are the preferred choice. Companies can transition their production facilities to globally accepted standards for environmental management systems. Such as ISO 14001, an international environmental management standard. That establishes globally recognized requirements for an environmental management system.
Switching to renewable energies and green electricity is a strong option to reduce the carbon footprint. Any remaining unavoidable emissions can then be compensated. Hardware manufacturers can have their products specifically labeled with sustainable product seals. This generally happens through independent third parties. They use their own criteria catalog to ensure compliance. For example, UL ECOLOGO®. This certification evaluates not only the material supply chain. But also energy consumption, packaging, and any potentially problematic substances. End-of-life management and return options are also examined.
Razer – The First Gaming Mice with ECOLOGO® Certification
The good news is. There are already initial products that concretely demonstrate that gaming hardware can be more environmentally friendly. An example of this is the gaming mice produced by Razer. The popular models Razer Basilisk V3 and Razer DeathAdder Essential are now ECOLOGO certified. A first in the gaming industry. This certification is overseen by UL. A world leader in product safety testing and certification. UL is also one of the few organizations that has approval from the federal authority OSHA.
What was done differently here? For example, Razer’s gaming mice definitely comply with EU regulations for chemical substances. And when it comes to packaging. Razer relies on sustainable packaging design. They use FSC-certified cardboard that is free from heavy metals and chlorine. This is printed with environmentally friendly soy inks. Making it easier to reintroduce the packaging into the raw material cycle. Additionally, Razer focuses on better durability in product design, resulting in longer-lasting products. The UL testing organization assesses the processes with which Razer handles repairs and returns for the ECOLOGO label. This includes evaluating the ease of disassembly for authorized service providers and the manner in which it is done. In which Razer informs its service providers about components that require special disposal. This increases the recyclability of the gaming mice. For some time now, Razer has encouraged its customers to return used products for recycling. By 2025, more opportunities for this are to be created in collaboration with retailers and shops.
