Green Gamification: Who Knew Going Green Could Be So Much Fun?

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A long waiting list developed as the date of the Green Gamification Panel approached. Sponsored by Bennu and the Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity at Baruch College, the fun started with prizes offered to a few lucky participants that tweeted during the event with the hashtag #SMWgreengamificiation.

Five green gamification companies presented their businesses, starting off with Ashok Kamal from Bennu, a green social media marketing company. He organized and moderated the event. You can read his article in GreenBiz on green gamificiation for background information here.

Next up was RecycleBank, which rewards people  by taking everyday green actions. It targets mothers with young children, but is open to everyone. On the website, you can earn points, win rewards, and learn how to live a more sustainable life, while having fun! There are also a number of family-friendly games to teach children about recycling and other green actions.

Practically green promotes health and sustainability. On its website, you can take a quiz to determine how green you are and create a plan to improve your “green score” by taking more green actions. Although everyone can sign up, it is targeted towards businesses that want to encourage their employees to become more sustainable.

A company that got its start in New York City, The Mutual offers savings to consumers from companies to those that join its membership and donate part of the membership to a green charity that the member chooses. The fun continues with the Mutual today at the Brooklyn Brewery, where another Social Media Week event kicks off entitled “New Business Models to Convert into Tangible Action.” This talk is followed by an afterparty free to all members of the Mutual. It includes an open bar at the Brooklyn Brewery; food from NYC supper clubs, The Cheeky Chef and Righteous Burn. Luke’s Lobster will be giving $1.00 off rolls to members. Register online on the Social Media Week website before tickets sell out!

Terracycle, whose founder and CEO Tom Szaky was listed on the Forbes Impact 30 2011 List, finished off the night. The company has recently released the game Trash Tycoon, the first online game featuring upcycling and recycling trash and will hopefully raise awareness about the recycling process and encourage people to recycle in their real life.

Trash Tycoon is a game created by Terracycle to encourage people to recycle, earn carbon credits, and have fun while doing it! (Image from Treehugger)