Play the Alter Space game and learn to reduce your Carbon Footprint

ALTER SPACE, the new Facebook game that is developed by Filipinos, is a fun and educational way for gamers to learn practical tips on Earth-friendly living. It teaches us and makes us aware of various ways to help reduce the effects of global warming, climate change and carbon emissions on the planet. There are various tasks that a gamer will do play as s/he moves along and tips are being presented. Alter Space was created by AboitizPower to educate gamers on Carbon Footprint Reduction.

New mini-game for Earth Hour

Alter Space also takes part in Earth Hour, a global event that enjoins people across the globe to shut down all non-essential lights and appliances on the last Saturday of March (March 26, 2011), from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Alter Space has introduced a new mini-game called “Switch Chaser” in support of Earth Hour.

In Switch Chaser, the gamer’s avatar is required to switch off whatever appliance has been left on in his or her virtual home. The gamer has 2 minutes to move around the house, using the PC arrow keys, and turn off an appliance. The gamer needs to press the space bar once the avatar is beside an appliance to turn it off. The gamer must turn off as many appliances as possible within 2 minutes.  

The gamer earns points or “Currentcy” for each appliance turned off. This Currentcy can then be used to purchase items in the Alter Space virtual world. A gamer can play “Switch Chaser” up to 5 times only a day to earn Currentcy. Subsequent game plays (beyond the fifth for the day) are possible but they will no longer earn Currentcy.  

About Alter Space Game
The whole idea of Alter Space is to make us aware of Carbon Footprint Reduction which is the goal of the game. Carbon footprint refers to the amount of carbon gas emissions that a particular human activity releases into the planet.  Practically every human activity—driving a car, cooking something, baking pastries, using household appliances, etc. — leaves its own carbon footprint, whether large or small. We can't totally avoid carbon emissions. It's part of our daily lives. But reducing the amount of carbon emissions in the planet is just one way of managing Global Warming.

The more carbon emissions are released, the warmer our planet gets. This is one of the reasons why nature reacts to what we do to our environment. Calamities like like typhoons, flooding, drought happen. Too much warmth on a global scale affects our weather in ways that could harm our environment and life on Earth. We need to take care of our environment for the next generations of humans, animals and plants.

Playing the Game

In Alter Space, you make various choices, fulfill tasks (cooking, taking a shower, buying food, going to the park, shopping, watching TV, using the computer, etc.) to increase Happiness Level. Each task will show you how much emission of carbon will it do, or none at all. So you're not only having your own virtual home but you're taking care of an entire planet. Every time the Happiness Level reaches 100%, your avatar goes up one game level. The game can go up to Level 5. 

You must continuously earn “Currentcy” during the game. This is done by playing various mini-games. These mini-games involve harvesting energy from alternative sources: a solar power plant, a geothermal plant and a hydro-electric plant—all of which provide energy without carbon emissions.

Alter Space also includes details that showcase Filipino culture, like buying food from a turo-turo; playing sungka; or using a pamaypay (fan), and many others.

Some practical tips you learn in Alter Space are: a) Using natural sunlight to brighten your house as much as possible; b) Using energy-saving light bulbs in the house; c) Using a pail of water when you bathe, instead of the shower; d) Using an LCD television set instead of the old CRT TVs; LCD TVs consume less energy and result in less carbon emissions.

You can also check my previous blog post on Alter Space here, where I shared my experience in playing the game for the first time.

You'll definitely enjoy playing the Alter Space game. To learn more about it, play the game at www.facebook.com/alterspacegame. 

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AboitizPower is the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s investments in power generation, distribution, retail and power services.  It is a major producer of Cleanergy, its brand for clean and renewable energy in the Philippines with several hydroelectric and geothermal assets in its generation portfolioand also has non-renewable power plants located across the country. The company owns distribution utilities that operate in high-growth areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. (For more details, please visit: www.abotizpower.com and www.cleanergy.com.ph.)

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