“Welcome to the Anthropocene era, when human impacts begin to overwhelm those of other species.”
Sounds like the start to a Star Wars prequel, right?
Instead, it’s the start of John Elkington’s explanation of how gamers may be positioned to help us fix the environmental problems we’ve created — becoming the stewards of the Earth.
Why might we need stewards?
People have caused significant changes to how the earth naturally functions, and possibly to how it evolves. Exponential increases in CO2 — pollution from vehicles, factories, our homes and the production of goods, and other environmental impacts, are changing and speeding up the normal patterns of climate change.
There are many incredibly dedicated and passionate people behind the community organizations, universities, governmental entities and even businesses that are focused on slowing, stopping or reversing the damage.
But gamers? I’m intrigued!
Many online gamers are skilled at working collaboratively, are driven to win in a ‘sustainable’ manner, are continually learning about their environments, are focused on long-term strategies, and… there are millions of them consciously engaging in mutual cooperation.
Elkington points to several games including, EVOKE, described as a “ten-week crash course in changing the world,” which as he states is:
encouraging and empowering young people to begin tackling problems like poverty, hunger, sustainable energy, access to clean water, human rights and preparation for natural disasters.
While there is debate about whether we are really dawning on, or already have moved into the Anthropocene to become the “top predator on the earth“, Elkington sums our future up well:
There are finite games, played to win, and infinite games we play to stay in the game as long as possible. Sustainability, clearly, is an infinite game.
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