as we turn Increasingly close to climate catastrophe, more and more people and companies are working to lessen their impact on the planet. Cars are going electric, straws have gone organic, and even video game cases have gotten thinner. However, one industry that is lagging behind is that of board games.

With an emphasis on captivating customers with big boxes and plastic miniatures, and a manufacturing process based largely in China and with questionable material sourcing, board games could be taking a big hit. batch more to show that they care as much about the planet as they do the unit change.

that’s an argument someone could do on the table, but it’s also one that is now being done professionally with the publication of the green games guidean article published today by a group of designers, industry representatives and academics.

He breaks down how the board game industry works and what its current focus is, pointing out how it’s driven almost entirely by what it thinks will sell, not what’s best for the environment. It then offers a range of potential frameworks and solutions for this, based on a holistic approach that takes into account not only how games are made, but also how components can be recycled and protect the rights of the workers who make them.

Some of these solutions include minimizing the size of game boxes, avoiding the use of excessive packaging materials (and wrapping everything in plastic), staying away from plastic components, making sure that wooden and cardboard components are sourced safely responsible and ensure that renewable energy is used. whenever possible in the manufacturing process.

Like a recent article on video games that we also covered (and which he shares with some authors), instead of just hitting everyone on the knuckles, green games guide it seeks to give companies a range of grades and options, highlighting where the current options are the worst possible and outlining ways they can improve them.

While most of the document is intended for the industry, although it is worded in a way that makes for very interesting reading for anyone interested in board games and/or climate politics, there is some advice for players as well, noting that we may be looking for games made with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and similar certifications, and you can also put pressure on companies to make more positive changes by contacting them and letting them know.

It’s not all negative either; some positive aspects are listed as examples to follow, such as the winner of Spiel des Jahres Kingdominowhich is “a great example of efficient and attractive game packaging.”

“Case size walks a fine line between installing internal components without compromising ease of access and not leaving too much empty space,” says GGG. “The fact that the dominoes are pre-punched avoids the problem of carrying extra weight and also avoids taking up space that becomes unnecessary once the dominoes are removed from the larger sheets on which they are printed.”

“At the same time, the size of the box still presents substantial art surface for an attractive display.”

If you want to read the entire document, You can check it here.