#ENERGY / #GAMING: New online game allows kids to design their own energy-efficient city

Written by : Derek Markham
Shared by : Siri Surab

For those involved in engaging and educating our young clean energy leaders of tomorrow, another tool just got added to your workshop, thanks to a new online city-building game.

Plan It Green allows players to create their own virtual cities and attempt to transform them into the most energy-efficient cities possible, earning points for energy production, eco-friendliness, and the happiness of the citizens of these digital domains. The free game aims to help young people better understand the energy systems available to us and what it takes to build a successful and sustainable community.

Produced by National Geographic, GE, and the Center for Science as a part of the Connect! Transform the Future initiative, Plan It Green: The Big Switch is designed to increase youth awareness of our energy issues and then help players understand how to make more sustainable choices and build a model green city.

“Students learn at home and through school how important recycling and eco-friendly habits are to their environment, but Plan It Green takes these lessons a step further. Through gameplay that is smart, fun and intuitive, players discover what it takes to build and run a community. By creating more energy-efficient neighborhoods, they reduce their town’s impact on its environment and create happier, stronger communities. In doing so, they can associate the choices they make on Plan It Green with choices they or their own communities make in their everyday lives.” – Chris Mate, vice president of Games for National Geographic

The game allows players to build energy stations, houses, parks, businesses, organic farms, and more, advancing through the game’s levels as they diversify their power sources and improve energy efficiency in their city. Players can also compete with their friends to build the greenest city, or attempt to earn the highest city rating among all of the city “mayors”.

SOURCE : http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/new-online-game-allows-kids-create-own-energy-efficient-city.html