WITH TODAY’S rapidly growing technology and custom software development (e.g. Chicago Custom Software Development), gaming already has the ability to not only entertain people but influence them as well.
As such, gaming, among other forms of online interactions and activities is a powerful tool. It can pivot social and environmental change for the sake of mother earth, and hence, the future in general.
So, who says video and computer games cannot be both entertaining and educational? Clearly, they have not heard of these thrilling and fun-filled yet environmentally-aware games.
Ellie Johnston (2012) from Climate Interactive gave the respective main ideas of these climate change-combatting games:
Climate Challenge
“The player acts as a European leader who must make decisions for their nation to reduce CO2 emissions. He/She must also keep in mind public and international approval, energy, food, and financial needs.”
Fate of the World
“A PC game that challenges players to solve the crises facing the Earth from natural disasters and climate change to political uprisings and international relations. Certainly, it is available on Steam.”
My2050
“An interactive game to determine a scenario for the UK to lower its CO2 emissions 20% below 1990 levels by 2050. The user can select from adjustments in sectors from energy to transit.”
In addendum, Saikat Basu from Make Use Of talks about environmental education through these children’s strategy online games that present ecological problems to the young gamers and let them design the solutions to combat these dilemmas:
ClimWay
This game aims of combating climate change by providing the hands-on experience to the young minds through an interactive strategy game. In this game, players are given greenhouse gas emissions problems and are tasked to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent, decrease the use of energy by 40 percent, and increase the share of renewable energy by 60 percent.”
NOAA Games
NOAA, which stands for the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (who happens to be the brain of these games) focuses on the oceans and the air themes. Also, they provide a site that serves a portal. “Each game addresses the key concerns of our planet. Furthermore, it also demonstrates solutions that can work in the real world.”
