For many people who are busy with city life, today is a simple and ordinary working day.
But if someone is willing to spend tens of seconds retrieving it, they will find that today is not so ordinary. Because March 21 is the International Day of Forests. It is a day of remembrance set by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness at all levels of the need to strengthen the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for present and future generations.
Perhaps many readers will be like Gyro Jun, who have no real feelings about this anniversary. Of course, everyone is responsible for protecting the environment, but the strength of individuals is really minimal, especially for us living in the "steel forest", as if we have long been separated from the natural environment, even if we have the heart, what can we do?
...... It seems that something can really be done.
The change in perception came from a game I saw on the Steam store.
"Forest Life", an environmental science adventure game jointly produced by Game for Good (hereinafter referred to as G4G), Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo, Yesheng, and Xingchen Heavy Industry. This small but beautiful work not only lights up the leisure time of Gyro Jun's weekend, but also makes me think about the connection between "me" and "us", and between "us" and "nature".
Different identities, common destiny
In the game, players travel through different time and space, playing several characters with different identities and positions, and find the right path in difficult choices again and again.
First of all, the people in the city. This is a stay-at-home mom living in the city. All we had to do was help her choose the products in the supermarket and find the one that was healthy and environmentally friendly among the many options.
Of course, such a choice is not difficult for people in the city, and even if you choose the wrong one, there is no substantial evil result. Consumers buying products that meet the requirements of environmental friendliness are actually "doing good every day" to the natural ecology.
In the chapter of the people in the city, the biggest gain of Gyro Jun is that he has been popularized with two valuable marks:
FSC forest certification, also known as timber certification, is a tool that uses market mechanisms to promote sustainable forest management and achieve ecological, social and economic goals. Certification means that the company meets the requirements for sustainable operation, and the commodity is also sourced from certified well-managed forests.
RSPO Sustainable Palm Oil Certification is a standard developed for palm oil growers to stop deforestation by protecting primary and secondary forests, ensuring biodiversity ecosystems are protected, preventing wildfires and avoiding harm to wildlife.
Then there are the people in the tower. This is an executive of a palm oil company who not only has the burden of healing her sick mother, but also has the responsibility of making a profit. In front of him, first, is a general cultivation model that is short-term profitable, but will damage the environment; Second, the experimental field planting model with large initial investment and even losses, but in line with long-term interests and goals.
From God's point of view, of course, the "experimental field planting model" is more in line with the theme of the game: the hybrid of rainforest and palm trees can not only protect the environment, but also bring long-term stable income.
But when we truly assume the identity of corporate executives, blind optimism and environmentalism obviously cannot impress capital.
What gave him the opportunity to implement the experimental farming model was the propensity of consumers to buy sustainable palm oil in market research, that is, the inadvertent choice of "good" by countless people in the city, which became the courage and backing of the people in the tower to stick to the right path.
Also affected are people living in the rainforest. Because of the awakening of nature awareness in the city, the people in the park also have the opportunity to obtain reliable economic resources without destroying the traditions and the environment of their homes.
With the joint efforts of all humans, the people in the forest, the orangutans in the forest, can continue to thrive. Compared with humans, animals that are completely dependent on nature have no choice, they can only passively bear everything brought by human civilization, and their fate is in our hands.
The Man in the Woods tells a rather idealistic story, perhaps too beautiful to be "utopian," but the dilemma faced by different people in the game is so realistic. So, back to the question at the beginning of the article, what can we do as an ordinary person?
Perhaps it is to consciously "do good every day", and let insignificant actions become drops of rain flowing into the sea. The energy of the individual is limited, and the condensation is an infinite force, pushing everything in a good direction. At the same time, as the hidden meaning expressed in "The Man in the Woods": seemingly unrelated people are also inextricably linked, which is fate and can also cause miracles.
"Games+": Explore the diverse value of games
The idea of tapping the diversified value of games has often been mentioned in recent years, and Gyro Jun has also reported the first "Game +" special report in China, "Game +" in China 2022, jointly produced by G4G and Gamma Data.
The social level clearly hopes to explore more practical value of games, whether it is the dimension of technology or the dimension of culture and art. And "Man in the Woods" is obviously a possibility for "game + animal protection" exploration.
This edutainment, edutainment, can trigger people to think deeper, not only satisfies the attributes of entertainment, but also meets the needs of conveying positive energy, making the game far more than a game. At the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference and the 15th United Nations Biodiversity Conference, "People in the Woods" were highlighted.
(Photo courtesy of Nosheng)
With the rapid growth of the game industry, people are increasingly concerned about the impact of games on society, culture and life. At the same time, more and more game developers and players are recognizing that games have positive potential and can be a powerful tool for social progress.
As G4G's Slogan: Make meaningful things interesting, interesting things meaningful. The action of exploring the social value of games is also a "real game", and we in the industry are witnesses and witnesses.