Forget about farming fake land, providing your stalker with foursquare stats, and surviving in a mafia world. If you're going to procrastinate on Facebook, why not actually accomplish something at the same time? Enter eMission, a new Facebook game that combines the fun of living in a virtual world with the reality that our real world is in dire need of environmental action.
DoSomething.org and the EPA's Energy Star program have teamed up to create a game focused on social activism. The eMission game is set online at a beach where players must work to maintain their coastal habitat. They can take quizzes, promote tourism, watch ecotours, and add sea lions, pelicans, and bald eagles to their virtual beach. But not before first taking action in the real world.
In order to advance to higher levels and unlock rewards, players must change light bulbs, take shorter showers, plant a tree, and engage in other real world environmental initiatives. As the player progresses to higher levels of the game, the offline challenges become increasingly complex with higher carbon savings. To confirm that a player has actually engaged in these offline activities, a friend confirmation or photo submission is required. Aside from the rewards of a cleaner environment, players can also win real life prizes and scholarships.
In this PSA video, Sophia Bush of "One Tree Hill" encourages teens to combine their virtual fantasy world with real action. Check out eMission on DoSomething.org/eMission.
WATCH The eMission PSA With Sophia Bush:
