Green Games at Giffoni: the game for the 'Environmental Natives'

250 thousand students throughout Italy. These are the numbers of the Green Game, a project that, in the last 11 years, has conquered schools across half of Italy, demonstrating how important it is to educate new generations about sustainability, using interactive and engaging methods. For this reason, the project has also earned an important place at the 54th edition of the Giffoni Film Festival, becoming one of the most anticipated events. The Green Game is promoted by the National Consortia for the Collection, Recovery and Recycling of Packaging, including BIOREPACK, CIAL, COMIECO, COREPLA, COREVE and RICREA, and is conceived by Alvin Crescini who is also its host. A virtuous and unique way to seal the collaboration between the consortia and Giffoni. The initiative is present at the festival for the third consecutive year, demonstrating its importance in the Italian educational panorama.

The Multimedia Format

The Green Game multimedia event, focusing on recycling and environmental sustainability, is currently taking place in the Sala Verde at Multimedia Valley.

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The project's goal is to educate and entertain young people, raising awareness of good recycling practices and environmental issues.

Interactive Approach with Teams and Rewards

The kids, divided into teams and equipped with wireless responders, compete to win eco-friendly prizes and gadgets, all made from recycled materials. This dynamic encourages cooperation and teamwork and also promotes greater ecological awareness among young people.

Gamification as a Teaching Method

"The secret is the language we use to talk to kids," says Alvin Crescini. "The idea of using gamification in schools was an intuition 11 years ago and led us to take a very direct approach. At school, young people are divided into classes, and each class is a team. At the beginning, we provide information on good environmental sustainability practices, and then they test their learning through a "television" quiz, with buttons and digital methods. Here at Giffoni, we adopt the same formula. The kids are divided by team and material, each material representing a consortium. And they compete against each other. First, a lesson summary, and then the game. They win gadgets, a book on waste sorting designed together with the consortia. Our project has now received valuable collaboration from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of the Environment. A very strong and inclusive social spirit emerges. It's always been said that learning through play. We certainly never imagined that after 11 years, we'd have teachers and principals like this." Active and happy. Here in Giffoni, we met a mother who was delighted with our return and told us how her daughter had become an expert in recycling. In short, the kids become our champions, educating their parents; they are much more attentive to these issues. They are "environmental natives" and become protagonists of this change.

Article published on July 25, 2024 - 20:00 AM - Gustavo Gentile