World Water Week Raises Awareness through Gamification

A new game designed to promote sustainable water resources management has been released for World Water Week. The game is called Aqua Republica and was created through a partnership between UNEP and DHI along with the collaboration of a number of others.

The game not only raises water awareness it is designed to help build capacity in some of the most critical issues in water resources management.

In this game participants make decisions about water management and in the process they learn about the connectivity and importance of water resources, as well as the need for careful management.

While the world of Aqua Republica is fictitious, the challenges of sustainably managing a limited supply of water resources in a situation of growing demand between multiple users and uses are very much based on real life scenarios.

TerraCycle Facebook Game App: Upcycling & Recycling

An initiative from TerraCycle incorporates recycling into a game. In 2011 TerraCycle, the company which turns trash into eco-products, launched Trash Tycoon, a Facebook game that teaches players to upcycle. Instead of planting crops or building cities as in FarmVille or CityVille, in Trash Tycoon the player cleans houses and town buildings such as a library, a school and a town hall. Players also build factories, which upcycle and recycle the collected trash and include a worm farm, glass smelter, plastic extruder, injection molder, paper recycler and greenhouse.

40 Eco-Apps that Put Technology to Work for the Environment

Technology may not be a panacea to solve the climate crisis, but green applications (eco-apps) are helping to drive awareness and foster responsible action. There was a time when eco-apps did little more than provide lists of so-called “green” products and services. Now green-themed apps have turned mobile devices into portals for environmental education and sustainable action. The smartphone market share is now estimated to be more than 40 percent in the U.S. Around the world, smartphones are proliferating and green apps are growing along with them. Eco-apps can help people be more efficient and reduce their energy consumption.

Mobile Gaming Promoting Sustainability and Social Responsibility at Events (White Paper)

An interactive mobile game called “Get Your Green On!” was created for use at 2011 Event Camp Vancouver—an idea-generating gathering for event professionals. The game enhanced attendee engagement and collaboration, while improving their understanding of sustainability and social responsibility issues.

Game Change Rio: An Interactive Game based on System Dynamics

Game Change Rio is a great way to understand the interconnected complexities facing our planet today. Based on a huge array of real-life data, players can explore the countless ways we can ruin our world or save the planet. Once more of us begin to understand the issues involved, we have a better chance of changing the game.