Green Stories

Green Stories: A Thesis Project to Inspire the Next Generation of Environmental Changemakers through Augmented Reality

My role

Interactive Educational Project: Development of Green Stories as an educational tool to raise awareness among young people about environmental issues.

Use of Augmented Reality: Implementation of AR technology to tell the stories of young "Green Heroes" and engage participants in virtuous actions.

Game Design: Conceptualization and development of the game based on a Service Design approach, with the goal of stimulating social change.

Collaboration with Save the Children: Managing the partnership with the organization to align the project with themes of sustainability and social inclusion.

Research and Analysis: Conducting research in the Macrolotto Zero area of Prato to understand local educational needs and develop relevant content for the youth target audience.

Creation of Sustainability Content: Development of stories, games, and reward mechanisms to motivate young people’s engagement in environmental actions.

Prototyping and Development: Use of Unity and ARCore for the creation of the game prototype and immersive experience.

Project brief

Green Stories is an interactive thesis educational project aimed at raising awareness among young people about environmental issues, using an Augmented Reality game to tell the stories of young "Green Heroes" who are already making a difference. The goal is to inspire the new generations to become agents of change through a Service Design approach.

Born from a Service Design course in collaboration with Save the Children, the project was developed based on research within the Macrolotto Zero community in Prato, to address the growing need for educational tools on sustainability, in line with the 2030 Agenda (Goal 4.7 SDGs). With a target audience of young people aged 14 to 24, Green Stories aims to bridge the gap in active participation opportunities, creating a global community of changemakers.

"If we want to achieve our goals, we need everyone on board."

Elizabeth Wathuti

Mappa tridimensionale di una zona urbana con un'icona rossa e bianca di un'agenzia delle consegne un centro commerciale, evidenziata in bianco.

Context

Save the Children highlights the climate crisis as a major threat to children, with 1.9 billion minors facing extreme climate events annually. Despite this, children remain hopeful and believe in collective action to address the crisis.

In the Macrolotto Zero district of Prato, challenges include high population density and security concerns. Local initiatives focus on improving quality of life and addressing climate impacts, such as rising temperatures and increased flooding.

The game

Green Stories is an educational game set in the Macrolotto Zero neighborhood, where participants discover the stories of Green Heroes and perform virtuous actions such as recycling and tree planting. Each positive action is rewarded with personalized social filters, encouraging interaction and active participation.

Illustrazione di sette persone con nomi e caratteristiche diverse, alcune con dettagli simbolici come un cartello 'No Planet B' o un fan, e un'ambientazione con elementi naturali e astratti.

Green Heroes

We have identified six Green Heroes from around the world, who have stood out for their activism and the way they have shared their stories of sustainability.

Una mano tiene uno smartphone che inquadra un poster con un disegno di un albero e il titolo 'Green Strokes'. Il poster si trova sopra un tavolo verde.

The Portals and the Green Heroes

The AR portals are used to tell the stories of the Green Heroes. Players interact with these portals in the neighborhood by scanning illustrations that transform into 3D narratives. The portals, inspired by Chinese "Moon Gates," symbolize change, encouraging players to reflect on their habits and take actions for a more sustainable future.

Poster di Save the Children con una silhouette di profilo di una ragazza con i riccioli, su sfondo giallo e verde, con testi in Italiano e altre lingue che promuovono il gioco e la narrazione per i bambini.

The touchpoints

The touchpoints are physical elements distributed throughout the neighborhood that players must find and collect digitally. These include posters, signs, and bilingual posters (Italian and Simplified Chinese), which tell the stories of the Green Heroes and contain QR codes for interacting with the game.

Serie di interviste con vari protagonisti su temi ambientali, tra cui Marco Wong, Lorenzo, Melati Wijsen, Carina e Greta Campisi, con domande e risposte su problematiche climatiche e sensibilizzazione dei giovani.
Mappa dell'ecosistema di Green Stories con vari elementi e relazioni, tra cui 'Save the Children', 'Green Apes', 'Design Campus', e attività come 'Attrazione Turistica', 'Pubblicità', e 'Call to Action'.
Giovane donna nera con capelli ricci, che tiene una piantina in mano, con un paesaggio di alberi e il sole sullo sfondo
Schema di gamification con obiettivi, adesione, scoperta, fidelizzazione e call to action, incentrato sull'educazione alla sostenibilità, con dettagli su promozione e conseguenze.
Un insieme di schede informative chiamate 'User Journey Maps' con testi in italiano e icone di persone, su sfondo verde turchese.
Mappa di sistema con i titoli 'Giocatori', 'Manifesti', e 'GREEN STORIES'. Include vari elementi come 'Save the Children', 'Green Apes', 'Oxygen Comitato Ragazzi', e 'Youthopia', collegati tra loro con linee e frecce, e legenda con punti di tocco, attori esistenti, attori aggiuntivi, e azioni.
Diagramma della struttura di un gioco chiamato Green Stories APP, con sezioni per classifica, collezioni e social, e indicatori di azioni online e offline.

Conclusions

Green Stories aims to expand globally, engaging new Green Heroes and collaborating with international organizations to strengthen its sustainability commitment. By combining game design and Augmented Reality, it raises awareness about the climate crisis and encourages youth participation. Rooted in the SDGs, the project demonstrates how technology can drive environmental activism.