The fourth annual round of Vermontivate kicks off on Monday. Never heard of Vermontivate? Here's what you need to know...
Vermontivate is a free on-line/real-world game that, according to organizers, "brings fun and creativity to the serious and important work of tackling climate change." The game lasts six weeks, from March 23 until Green Up Day, May 2. Participants can sign on any time during the game's run. Vermontivate culminates May 9 with a Ben & Jerry's ice cream party and award ceremony on the Vermont statehouse lawn.
Players sign up for free at the Vermontivate website. Team play is encouraged, so be sure to invite some friends to play along. Teams rack up points on an array of challenges, including installing energy efficient light bulbs, starting composting piles, establishing community solar CSAs, test driving electric vehicles and inventing hybrid modes of transportation.
“Climate change is one of the most significant issues we face as a society,” Vermontivate co-founder Kathryn Blume explained, “and most people don’t know what they can do to make a difference. Vermontivate is an entertaining, educational, and competitive way of taking meaningful action and building strong communities.”
And there are prizes too.
New for 2015, Vermontivate has built an new website that looks like an old-fashioned board game. Organizers say the challenges have been created to align with Vermont’s highest-level climate goals, and are designed for maximum real world impact. This year's game also features a video contest and team challenges.
“There are a lot of great energy saving games out there,” says Blume “But Vermontivate is one of the few gamification strategies that tackles full spectrum sustainability. The core challenges are around energy, transportation and food, but we also play with everything from waste reduction and water conservation to Gross National Happiness and the sharing economy."
