Manufacturing Greenomics the Game Sustainably

Greenomics the Game started as an educational tool to augment the Greenomics Sustainability Workshop. After repeated play it evolved into an entertaining board game. Based on the enthusiastic responses received during more than a dozen focus groups, we decided to put the game into production. Now, others can enjoy it at home and educators can use it to make their courses and programs about sustainability more engaging.

 We formed a virtual team to design and build the game. This included our own sustainability consultants, graphic artists, printers, and researchers. We had fun, learned a lot, and achieved most of our goals. To make the game we had to live by our own principles of sustainability. We had to walk the talk.

Our principles

• Use renewable resources
• Use non-toxic and biodegradable materials
• Enhance the Environment
• Promote positive human conditions

Where we succeeded

• We designed the box and game board so they would not require glue
• We used post consumer recycled FSC certified paper
• We used less material than manufacturers suggested to us through innovative design
• We eliminated the use of shrink wrap
• We used water and Soya based coatings and inks
• We produced the game locally
• We hired people from the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Pathway’s Program, which strives to get people with mental health issues back into the workforce, to assemble components of the game

Where we need alternatives

• The dice are plastic and are not locally sourced
• Upgrade rings are silicon, bought from a local distributor but manufactured outside of the country
• Industry markers, though made from recycled woodfill material, were sourced from non local, U.S.A. based game parts suppliers
• We are using a plastic bag to hold the loose pieces together in the game. So far, alternatives to this have been cost prohibitive in view of the price point that consumers would most likely be willing to pay.

While recognizing the realities of the global economy and the structure of the gaming industry, we are not daunted. As we encourage others to continually seek out new sources of supply and better alternatives to current choices, we too will address these final issues.

We believe you can help. Please go to www.greenomicsthegame.ca and share your ideas for alternatives – preference given to solutions closest to our home in Vancouver, Canada.
 

Sincerely,

Erich Schwartz

President