Mario, Donkey Kong and Kirby may not be clubbing seals in the Arctic, but they still attract the ire of environmentalists.
Nintendo received the lowest ranking ever on Greenpeace's most recent "Guide to Greener Electronics," released quarterly since 2006.
The gaming company received a grade of zero for continuous use of hazardous substances, such as polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants, in their consoles and game cartridges and the absence of programs for "take back" recycling.
Darrell Fuhriman (graduate-geography), who is studying computer and electronic waste, or e-waste, in the developing world for his master's thesis, said discarded electronics contribute to pollution in landfills because toxic-heavy metals can leak out when the devices get wet.
"Some of the other compounds that go into it are the flame retardants and a lot of stuff on the coating of the wiring," he said.
Daniel Kessler, a Greenpeace spokesman, said the organization looked at the biggest electronics makers internationally and how their products are manufactured.
"We did a close analysis of the products they're putting out," he said.
Laura Newcomer, spokeswoman for on-campus group Eco-Action, said she is glad Greenpeace is addressing this issue.
"Greenpeace's ranking system is a good way to introduce this topic into the public discourse," Newcomer said.
Gamers at Penn State, however, remain unaffected by Greenpeace's report.
Nick Leghorn, Gaming Association of Penn State vice president, said he would like to see Nintendo become more environmentally friendly, but it, ultimately, would not affect his decision as a consumer.
"It doesn't really factor into my buying," Leghorn said, "I buy games based on how fun they are."
Jeremy Sestok (junior-information sciences and technology) said he doubts he would pay more for video games to ensure an environmental standard.
The aim of Greenpeace was not to effect change on a consumer level, but on a producer level, Kessler said.
"Our goal is to put the information out there," Kessler said. "The best result is that these electronics companies wake up and realize what they are doing."
Fuhriman agreed that a "take back" recycling program and regulations in manufacturing are important steps in cutting back on electronic waste.
A recycling program would cut the waste outsourced to developing countries, Kessler added.
"We have mountains of e-waste in places like China," Kessler said, "and they pose a threat to the communities near to where they are being collected."
