Welcome back, 

In the previous article I covered how the Wii is a great system for people who like to have fun gaming and also, as a cool side effect, use little electricity. But there is more to the Wii than just a small pretty white case. The Wii is flying off shelves, being bought by everyone from parents for their kids to kids buying them for their parents and grandparents. The Wii is hitting markets that game systems have never even tried to touch. You may still be saying, “Right… your point?” For you I say, there is green to be made! 

Nintendo, the company behind the Wii, is not only selling Wii’s like fire to a caveman, but it also has a portable game system called the “Nintendo DS” which is selling even better than the Wii!!! 

In the video game business it is not the norm to make money off of the console. The idea is usually to sell as much hardware as you can so that game developers see that you have lots of people to sell games to, so that they want to make games, so that gamers buy more consoles, so that developers want to make games… you get the point. There is one difference for Nintendo though, they like to make money on everything that they sell. Stock holders love companies that make money, especially if they make money on things that are normally loss leaders. Another fun fact is that developers of consoles “License” games to play on their consoles. For every game that anyone sells on a Nintendo console, Nintendo made or not, Nintendo will get a cut of the profit. With the speed the Wii is flying off shelves, game developers who once were devoted only to the PS3 and XBOX 360 are now starting to cancel projects on those consoles to put their effort into creating games for the Wii. 

With the expanded market that includes the masses, Nintendo is reaching numbers never thought possible on the back of profits never thought possible this soon after a console launch. Heck Sony is still reported to be losing about $150 – $200 for each PS3 it sells. That is definitely not a good way to make money. 

Nintendo’s stock symbol is NTDOY. I have owned this stock since it was $21 per share and now it has climbed over $55 per share without even glancing back. When I purchased the stock Nintendo were being laughed at because their Wii console was not very powerful and was not expected to sell well and the DS had stagnant sales. People said Nintendo was going for niche market and not much else. By the time the stock hit $35 the DS was starting to pickup steam and the Wii launched to a better than anticipated launch, but everyone thought that both the Wii and DS were a fad destined to die soon. Now that Nintendo is raising their profit forecasts by 40% for the quarter many investors are starting to think that Nintendo has some staying power and a solid base for income. NTDOY has gained tremendously as has the Wii consoles demand in everything from nursing homes to fitness centers to your livingroom. Nintendo is becoming a very steady stock and seems to match the growth of Google or Apple. Get in while the getting is good. This is another one of the many ways we think greener. 

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Yahoo Finance NTDOY
GamePro Sales Info
Fox News Nursing Homes
TG Daily Wii Fit
You Tube Family Wii Game

      Paper or plastic? We’ve all been asked that before at the grocery store, but how much thought have you ever really put into how that decision effected the environment. To be honest, I never really thought too much about my decision because I reuse the plastic bags for other purposes at home, so I have always chosen plastic. Whenever it has crossed my mind which choice was better, I never could really tell because they both seemed like they have their own pros and cons. So, when I had to stop at the local grocery store called VG’s on my way home today for some things and the guy asked me, “Paper or plastic?”, I made my usual choice. The difference this time was that I noticed a message that had been printed on the side of the bag that read as follows: 

      “I am made from recycled materials. I am made from at least 50% post-industrial waste. I reduce road traffic. One truck can carry 2 million bags like me. Fourteen trucks are needed to carry 2 million paper sacks. I’m cleaner. Producing me generates fewer pollutants than producing paper bags: 70% less air pollutants and 98% less water pollutants. I use less energy. Making me involves a quarter of the energy used for a paper bag. I help save trees. My material is created from plentiful natural gas rather than ever more valuable trees or oil. If you bring me back and reuse me, VG’s will give you $.03 or just bring me back and VG’s will recycle me.” 

      So, this not only made me glad that I have been choosing plastic bags all along, but also impressed me that the store was putting this message out to their shoppers along with the incentive to reuse the bags on their next visit. Soon, I hope that most people will begin recycling or reusing their bags or even bringing cloth bags with them to the store to shop with. The first step is to get the message out though, which I’m very impressed to see stores starting to do. 

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VG’s Food and Pharmacy 
The Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment (ILEA)

      When you think of greener electronics, you may think of solar panels for your house, or LED light bulbs. But greener doesn’t only refer to things that are modern day necessities like running water and lights but you can also be greener in your video game selection also. 

Today a game system that has been out since November 18, 2006 is still nowhere to be found on the shelves because it is selling out so quickly. The reason it is hard to find in stores not because it is a greener game system, but it is the greener next generation game system. It is not because it is an inexpensive game system, but it is the least expensive next generation game system. This game system has a unique way of playing that no other game system can currently replicate. The game system is called Wii. You may not quite understand why we are writing about Wii on Greener Thinking but if you would like to find out how this system will help the environment and also help you save and gain money, read on. 

The Wii is a game system is far different than any other that precedes it. When you look at game systems of the past, you find that the intention of their design is to make your fingers do all of the movement so that your rear can stay firmly planted in the seat. With the Wii this dynamic has changed. It has become the norm to jump around your living room flailing as if trying to swat at a pesky fly. This is the reason the Wii is flying off the shelves. It allows people who were considered too old for video games ornon-traditional video gamers to think about gaming in a whole different way. 

But why do you come to Greener Thinking for this news? Sure the Wii is fun and a very different way to play video games, but you want to hear how it is going to save or make you money and how it is better for the environment than its competition. Well lets start with the easy one, how the Wii is better for the environment than the competition. 

If you are at all familiar with the game console market the following facts will not surprise you at all, but for those who are not I will delve into the details. The Wii’s competition is currently Sony’s PlayStation 3 otherwise known as the PS3 and Microsoft’s XBOX 360. Both the PS3 and the XBOX 360 are aiming for the high-end market. They both support 1080p on HD televisions and have much more powerful hardware packed inside than the Wii. Looking at the systems side by side it is very easy to see where Sony and Microsoft fit this extra horsepower. The Wii system is the size of three DVD cases stacked together, but the XBOX 360 is as large as an old school VCR and the PS3 is even larger. But that is not the market that Nintendo is going after with the Wii. So while the Wii is less powerful it can also be smaller because it is not producing as much heat as the other consoles and the Wii does not create as much heat as the PS3 and XBOX 360 because it does not draw nearly as much electricity. 

Hardcoreware has done some research to show the power differences between a PC, XBOX 360, PS3 and, of course, the Wii. The differences are so astounding it baffles the mind. You can run approximately 10 Wii’s with the same amount of power used by the XBOX 360 and almost 11 Wii’s with the same amount of power used by the PS3. 

This is why the Wii is a great system for people who like to have fun but also at the same time not use as much electricity and saving money for not using that electricity. 

Check back in the next couple days to see how you can make money with this information. 

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Vintage Gamers
Non-traditional gamer 
Hardcoreware

      Saving money is something I am always interested in. Though it seems many ways in which this can be accomplished is never quite as simple as it seems. After doing some research on the internet for the best places I could go to save on my energy consumption in my home, and therefore money, but without a intricate slew of questioning, I came across an intriguing site. Not only can you save money, but also learn about energy consumption and how to help to do your part to improve the environment of the Earth at the same time. 

If you’ve ever had a wish to learn what basic energy-efficiency improvements you can use on your specific home to save yourself money by answering 14 simple questions… Wish granted.

Have you ever wondered how your household energy usage chalks up to the rest of comparable homes like yours out there? I know I have, and after finding many places I could get random information on this subject, I soon found that the most concentrated and reliable source for such personal statistics was finally found. If you have ever wondered about this, and you have your last 12 months of utility bills, this tool may be for you. 

                Energy Calculator 

After taking only about five minutes to fill out some basic information, recommendations for some energy-saving home improvements. This is totally free and if you don’t happen to have all your bills, contacting your utility company can yield a free summary for the last year.
Good luck, and keep thinking green!

      I’ve always thought of myself as being quite an optimist, but it’s hard to imagine that there could actually be a positive thing to be taken from already high, but still increasing gas prices. Gas prices are probably about the biggest complaint you hear about in the U.S. today, especially here in the Metro-Detroit area and it’s one of our countries biggest economic concerns as well. So, what good could possibly come from this? Well, it appears that electric car sales have increased along with the prices at the pump. Also, sales of more fuel efficient compact cars have risen as well. This kind of rise in demand could be exactly what the industry needs to spark more research and development in greener technologies for the auto industry. If people start trending more towards transportation that uses less gasoline, the automakers will have no choice but to begin competing for the consumers business by producing more and more efficient vehicles or even make an electric vehicle for the more standard buyer. So far, most electric vehicles on the market have not been ideal for the average driver to use for going back and forth to work, but rather for people going short distances at low to medium speeds. Soon, there are going to be several electric entries into the high-end sports car genre, but still, that leaves out the average consumer. With the high gas prices and increasing demand for alternative fuel vehicles and more efficient vehicles, we should begin seeing electrics that are being designed for the average consumer with competitive pricing. We can only hope that this trend of buying more efficient vehicles will continue even if the gas prices eventually go back down a bit, but it is encouraging to see something positive coming out of a situation so negative. 

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Olde English D 
CarJunky.com 
Chicago Tribune

      There is a new plane on the block, and though the name remains the same, the numbers have changed. I’m talking about Boeing’s new 787 (Ironically released on 7.8.2007). It has been about twelve years since the companies last jet unveiling and I don’t know about you, but a billion dollars sounds like a success to me! That is how much money Boeing is to be paid already for the more than 600 orders they have received. 

Whenever new planes are announced, the finer points are always put out to the public view and the ooh and aahs can begin. Though, with most planes revealing, you don’t usually hear companies stating how loud or polluting they are. This is because they are usually very loud and polluting! However with the 787, these points are some which should most definitely be touched upon. 

Noise pollution is nothing to be laughed at… Ha ha ha, …Sorry, someone broke windbefore me. I guess I will try to beat them to it next time. But honestly, noise pollution can be very harmful to human health. It can affect things such as hearing and cardiovascular health. Noise pollution may even interfere with the natural cycles ofanimals. To help put things in perspective, this chart shows a list of things (including some prior Boeing planes) and how they rank on the noise scale. Many laws have been in place for quite some time now to make sure that planes fly high enough over residential areas so that they do not bother people. Such laws may not apply to the 787 though, …this is mostly due to its specially designed engine which helps to make the 787 approximately 60% quieter than its predecessor. Not only is this great news for people on the ground, but also for the passengers! 

When a jet makes that massive sound that you have forever ingrained in your memoryif you have ever been close to one taking off, it is actually coming from the front of the engines. It is produced by the fan and the low-pressure booster that sends air “jetting” through. The new engines don’t have this effect as much due to a new type of nacelle, or casing. The 787’s engines are modified to include special acoustics which make almost all of the nacelle’s inner surface completely sound-absorbent. 

The other great environmental factor about the 787 is its emissions. Boeing says that the new plane will produce up to 20 percent fewer emissions than previous planes of a similar size. Most of this is due to the dramatic difference in weight comparably. The materials used in the construction of the 787 is a new type of carbon composite material as opposed to previous versions using heavier aluminums. Don’t be fooled though, the carbon composite is by no means weak… the new material can take a previous service expectancy of 30 – 40 years and make it a 70 – 80 year plan. 

Perhaps if the X-Men knew of this composite material, Magneto would have never escaped, and the world would be a much safer place? 

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Boeing
787
very loud
http://www.ehponline.org/qa/105-12focus/focus.html
broke wind
Noise pollution
animal
this chart
engine
passenger
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/236095_quietjet11.html
nacelle
carbon composite
memory
Magneto