Carboned OUT!

Carboned Out is a public engagement tool designed by Ozge Sahin and Nanthini Sampath to enhance individuals' carbon literacy and address the urgent need for action in the face of the climate crisis. Existing climate policies and initiatives primarily focus on industry-related solutions, while domestic activities contribute significantly to the global emission problematising the low level of carbon literacy among individuals and a lack of public responsibility. Further, traditional carbon literacy training often overwhelms individuals with complex scientific information and statistics, leading to eco-anxiety symptoms such as guilt, helplessness, and isolation.

To address these challenges, Carboned Out adopts a Serious Games approach to offer an accessible, enjoyable, and educational experience aimed at achieving the following objectives of educating individuals about daily carbon emissions, improving knowledge and capacity to promote positive shifts in behaviours over time, fostering collective learning and initiating climate conversations along with addressing a potential future of living within a carbon budget.

The study engaged a wide demographic range, including carbon literacy trainers and topic experts. The data on the impact of the game and suggestions for improvement was collected through online post-game surveys and verbal feedback. The study reveals that Carboned Out had a substantial impact on increasing participants' awareness and driving behavioural changes. Additionally, the study identified a significant lack of understanding regarding the digital carbon footprint and its proportionality in daily activities among the public, highlighting the importance of tools like Carboned Out in addressing this knowledge gap.