Clean Energy Connect Games
Challenge
Blue Planet Foundation, a Honolulu nonprofit, funded two educational games to teach sustainability to help Hawai’i reach 100% clean energy.
Solution
The solution involved developing an engaging and interactive educational method for teaching 3-4 year old children about the advantages and disadvantages of conserving and wasting energy. For instance, demonstrating that leaving the AC on unnecessarily results in electricity wastage, contributing to dirty energy, while upgrading to LED light bulbs conserves energy and promotes the use of renewable energy.
The game is designed to provide each player with 5 cards, which they take turns dealing. Every action taken by a player has either a positive or negative impact on their own area or their opponent’s area. Additionally, thought-provoking questions are incorporated into the game, with answers influencing the player’s area positively or negatively. The ultimate objective is to achieve 100% renewable energy, and the player who accomplishes this feat is declared the winner.
Another idea entailed the development of an engaging and interactive educational tool called “Road to Renewable,” designed to teach 3-4 year old children about the concept of renewable energy. The objective of the game is for the player to compete against the computer in reaching 100% renewable energy.
The game utilizes a deck of cards, with both players taking turns to draw the top card. Depending on the card drawn, the player’s token will advance accordingly. The cards can either contain actions or brain teasers. Answering brain teasers correctly allows the player to progress further on the game board. The ultimate goal is for a player to reach the end tile, signifying their victory in the game.