WHAT IS A VIDEO GAMING CONSOLE?
A video game console is an electronic or computer device that outputs a video signal or visual image to display a video game that one or more people can play through some type of game controller. Video game consoles are a specialized form of a home computer geared towards video game playing, designed with affordability and accessibility to the general public in mind, but lacking in raw computing power and customization.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
The Circuit Board
The Circuit Board is located inside the plastic casing of the video game console. It is made from many mined materials such as gold, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, beryllium, tantalum, coltan, silver, and other substances that conduct electricity. The manufacturing of Circuit Boards requires the use of crude oil to make the plastic, sand, and limestone to create fibreglass. Tantalum is often used as one of the materials in circuit boards as it conducts electricity well. Many of the materials used in Circuit Boards are non-renewable and can remain in the environment for a large amount of time.
The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD screen)
Because LCD displays have low electrical power consumption, they are used in many types of battery-powered electronic equipment. It is an electronically modulated optical device made up of any number of pixels filled with liquid crystals and arrayed in front of a light source or reflector to produce images in colour.
The Battery
Portable Video Game Consoles often use Li-ion batteries because they hold large amounts of power. Rechargeable batteries are also used. Types of batteries they can use include nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium-ion (Li-Ion), nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), or lead-acid. Ni-MH and Ni-Cd batteries contain nickel, cobalt, zinc, cadmium, and copper. Li-Ion batteries use lithium metallic oxide and carbon-based materials. All of these materials are mined.
The Plastic Casing
Crude oil and natural gas are combined with chemicals to create plastic. These are both non-renewable resources that take millions of years to form.
Game Discs
The game discs are also made mostly of plastic and require crude oil to be produced. A small amount of aluminium is inside the disc which allows the disc to be read. However, the amount of aluminium is small and cannot easily be recycled. Most game discs cannot be recycled.
Coltan
When coltan is refined it becomes a heat resistant metal that conducts electricity very efficiently. However, the largest coltan reserve is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As the demand for cell phones, computers, cameras, and other electronics grows the demand for coltan grows as well. However, this resource is being exploited by the militant tribes of the DRC. Since coltan can sell for as much as USD $150 per pound, it is easy to see that several tons of coltan are enough to fuel a war. Close to 4,000,000 people have died in the DRC conflicts. Millions of dollars have been spent on UN peacekeeping missions and by the DRC's neighbouring countries. However, the damage to Africa's coltan does not stop there. The mining of coltan also impacts the environment and the local people. Many of the miners are prisoners of the recent wars in Congo or children. These miners often travel into the dense rainforests surrounding the mines in search of Gorillas for food as there are no other closer sources of nourishment. These Gorillas are often referred to as "bush meat". It is estimated that between 3 and 5 million pounds of bushmeat is collected each year. Therefore, the once large population of Eastern Mountain Gorillas is now dwindling and nearing extinction.
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DISCLAIMER
The information is provided by Tecquisition for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal advice. If you have any feedback, comments, requests for technical support or other inquiries, please mail us by tecqusition@gmail.com.
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