This holiday season, you can play with the planet in mind. In the spirit of this season of giving, we want to share our tips for how you can be kinder to the planet while doing what you love most, playing.
Buying a new device? Reduce your impact with refurbished consoles and ground shipping
Xbox now offers Xbox Series X|S (Refurbished) as a lower waste alternative to buying a brand-new console. These refurbished consoles undergo a rigorous certification process, are tested to confirm they’re working properly, and inspected for hardware and cosmetic quality to deliver the high-quality gaming experience our fans love, while improving the circularity of our consoles.
Buy your console or Xbox accessories through the Microsoft Store and choose ground shipping. Microsoft Store offers the option of free ground shipping (3-7 business days) on eligible orders in the contiguous US, which is a lower-carbon emission solution compared to standard airfreight expedited and express shipping.
Trade-in your used device for cash
If you’re upgrading your own console, you can trade in eligible devices through the Microsoft Store to give them a new life and get cash back. The Microsoft Store Trade-in Program is powered by Teladvance, a company that specializes in electronics reuse and recycling. You get cash back and your used device gets a new home — or it’s recycled in a responsible way. Click here to learn more about this program and where it’s available.
Use the power-saving setting, shutdown (energy saving), on Xbox Series X|S to reduce energy consumption
One of the quickest ways to reduce emissions from gameplay (and your energy bill!) is to make sure you have the latest energy saving features enabled. You’ll use up to 20x less power when your console is turned off using shutdown (energy saving) mode and your system and games will stay updated.
Turn on Shutdown (energy saving) in three easy steps:
1. Press the Xbox button on your controller.
2. Navigate to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power options.
3. Choose Shutdown (energy saving).
Learn more about the environment with Minecraft’s new Frozen Planet II maps.
A recent Xbox survey showed that more than 50% of games played during the holiday season were family-friendly, such as Minecraft. This holiday, explore five amazing Minecraft maps inspired by the new Frozen Planet II television series from BBC Earth. Play as eight different animals, learning what it takes to survive and thrive in some of the world’s harshest conditions. Protect your polar bear cubs, hunt as a killer whale, and gather nectar as a bumblebee in beautiful frozen worlds. The Frozen Planet II maps are available for Minecraft: Education Edition and Bedrock in the Minecraft Marketplace.
Donate Microsoft Rewards points to an environmental nonprofit.
Through Microsoft Rewards with Xbox, you can earn points while you play, complete your Quests and offers, and make select purchases on the Microsoft Store! Players in the United States can donate points in a few easy steps: turn on your console, go to the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox, scroll over to Redeem, and navigate down to Donate your points. On the web, you can simply visit Microsoft Rewards (bing.com) to Donate. You can then select between one of the many nonprofits, including the three environmental causes we partner with to donate your points. Read about them below:
World Wildlife Fund – As the world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in nearly 100 countries to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. To deliver on this mission, they work to conserve and restore biodiversity, reduce humanity’s environmental footprint, and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources to support current and future generations
Water.org – 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water and 1 in 4 people lack access to a toilet. Water.org is a global nonprofit organization working to change this. They help people living in poverty get access to safe water and sanitation at home – giving women hope, children health and families a bright future.
The Nature Conservancy – The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Their mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.
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