I think that new media can change the world, but I'm not getting my hopes up about smart games as the environment's savior.

I'm all for environmental games and anything else that raises awareness about environmental issues AND that ultimately benefits the environment, but I think "smart" environmental games will not do so because it takes CO2 to play them and I think that the only people who will play them are those are already doing what they can to help the environment.

I played http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/carbon-chaos/id351198570?mt=8 and was left feeling guilty about the CO2 that was generated in the production of the game and while I played it. There was no point to the game and it was boring "dragging" a bike, car, and bus to a destination (and I consider myself an environmentalist!).

I think a better way to help the environment for people who want to "play" online are carbon calculators like UC Berkeley's: http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/ There is a point to the game (you can calculate your carbon output) and you can learn how to reduce it. I may be an enviro-dork, but I think it's fun (as well as my duty) to have a contest with myself, with fellow Californians, and Americans to see how much I can reduce my carbon impact.

While I liked the calculator and did not like the "smart" game, I think it's good to get the message out in a variety of ways to try to reach the most people. My life was changed because of a 1990 documentary (Race to Save the Planet). Something else may light the spark for someone else. While I must confess to enjoying pointless games (like Tetris and Chicktionary) , for environmental purposes, I think old fashioned games are best (like relay races where players run to discard compostable, recyclable, or reusable items in bins placed further from the start according to how many resources are used).