ELI & Partners Win "Gold" at Serious Play Awards

July 2017

Washington, DC: The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) is pleased to announce that “Cards Against Calamity,” created by 1st Playable in partnership with ELI and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, received a gold ranking for table top learning games designed for education or training at the 2017 International Serious Play Awards competition held in Manassas, Virginia, July 18-20 at George Mason University. “We were very pleased to see good quality table top serious games in our new non-digital award category,” Sue Bohle, Executive Director, Serious Play Conference, said.

Cards Against CalamityCoastal storms, marine debris, flooding, or any other possible troubles could bring economic or environmental disaster to an unprepared coastal community. “Cards Against Calamity” is a card game that teaches stakeholders about the various strategies they can use to build a more resilient community as a means of “bouncing back and building beyond.” The game is won through cooperation, not competition, requiring players to role play community members in various sectors such as Commercial Fishing, Services, Industry, and Tourism and to negotiate plans that will both strengthen their community and each other.

The Serious Play Conference is aimed at professionals who embrace the idea that games can revolutionize learning. Speakers, who come from all parts of the globe, share their experience creating or using games in the corporation, classroom, healthcare institution, government and military and offer tips on how to move game-based education programs ahead.

“Don’t be shellfish, we’re all in the same boat!”