Remember Snakes and Ladders? A M Ramakrishnan, a member of RC Nemmara, RID 3206, has given the familiar board game an environmental twist. Called Earth Detox, the game rewards eco-friendly behaviour and penalises practices that harm the environment.
Land on a square that says, “I throw my garbage outside my home,” and you slide down two rows through a snake. But if you land on “I plant saplings in my neighbourhood,” you climb a row up the ladder. Each of the 100 squares carries a positive or negative environmental message, moving players up or down the board according to their dice roll.
“The idea was to adapt the familiar game of Snakes and Ladders into an environmental learning experience. Every square on the Earth Detox board represents an environmental action or message. Responsible behaviour takes players upwards through ladders, while undesirable environmental practices send them down through snakes,” explains Ramakrishnan, who has served for several years in environment-related roles, including as a WASRAG ambassador, WINS chair and district chair for river protection.
The idea took shape when RID 3206 DG R S Maruti outlined his vision of ensuring that every Rotarian understands and embraces responsible environmental behaviour. The challenge was to take this message beyond conventional campaigns and create something that Rotarians, their families and communities could engage with and remember.
“When DG Maruti set out his environmental vision, the challenge was how to take that message beyond a conventional campaign and make it something that Rotarians, their families and communities could engage with, remember and act upon. Thus was born the Earth Detox board — a behavioural-change game designed to carry the environmental message to people through participation and fun,” says Ramakrishnan.
Officially launched by DG Maruti at a membership seminar, the game is now being circulated as a PDF among Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, schools, housing societies and other community groups. Players can download and print the board, paste it on cardboard and start playing.
“The idea is to initiate conversations on environmental care and bring about a mindful attitude among people,” he says.
Inter-school competitions in the board game are being held across the district. Club members also play the game after their weekly meetings, keeping environmental awareness on the agenda in a simple, engaging way.