Ready to play the ZERO game?

This is an exciting and engaging card game that sneaks some education on climate action in there. Through the game, you can learn more about actions that have a positive or negative impact on our planet and lives. This game is meant for all ages, even adults can play. So, dive in, play around, and discover how actions can lead to big change for a livable future!

Disclaimer: 

First, this card game is not an exhaustive list of climate actions. We know that.

Second, this is aimed towards children. However, there are big and or complex words in there (very few). If you don’t know what something means, ask your parents, family members, friends or search it up online.

Third, these actions are put on a scale. This project worked with experts like LCA specialists, climate board game specialists, and trusted scientific research institutions to make sure these calculations are accurate and reasonable. We are not claiming that is perfect; it is meant to convene a general estimation.

The Rules

The game is inspired by S%#thead.

In the ZERO game, the aim is to get rid of all your cards. The last player to have cards is labeled the “climate jerry” of that round. There are 2 options on how to play. Here they are.

Option 1:

The dealer distributes 3 cards to each player. The rest of the cards stay in a pile in the middle. The player with  the  -5 card starts; however, if no one has a -5 card, then whomever has the lowest score (-4, -3, -2, etc.) can start. Then the next person has to put down a card that is greater than or equal to the most recent card put down. This mean that if the first player plays a -5, then the next player can put a -5 or -4, -3, -2, -1, etc or this player can put a special card. See below for what are the special cards. Each time you put down cards, you must pick up the same number of cards from the middle pile. You keep going in the round until someone clears the deck through putting down 4 of the same (example 4 cards of +3) or putting the special card of “Join any climate action NGO”. If you are the player who clears the deck, then you get to start the next round with a card of your choice. The round also stops if a player has no cards to plays because they cannot play something greater than or equal to the most recently played card. If this happens, the player has to put up the whole pile of face-up cards and then the next player can start a new round. Once the middle pile has no cards in it, and you get rid of all the cards in your hand, you have finished the game. The last person with cards in their hands is the climate jerry.

Option 2:

Every player gets dealt 3 cards face down in front of them - you cannot look at these face down cards. On top of those you'll be dealt 3 more cards face up. Then, another 3 cards are dealt to hold in hand. You can look at these cards in your hand. Before the game starts, you have the opportunity to swap your in-hand cards for any of the 3 face-up cards.

Then, you play the same as option #1. However, once you get rid of all the cards in your hand, you begin to play with the face-up cards in front of you.  If you can’t play one of your face-up cards, you will have to pick up the whole pile. Then, you will have to play all your cards in hand before touching your next face-up cards or the downward-facing cards. Once you use all your face-up cards, you can flip over 1 face-down card at a time. Once you get rid of all of those, you are finished with the game.

The cards:

-5 is the lowest card while +5 is the highest. Certain cards have special powers:

• “Engage with your government on climate action” is a special card that can be played at any point and restarts the game back to -5
•  “Talk to friends and family about the climate emergency” is a special card that can be played at any point and has a clear power. This means that the value of the card underneath counts
• Any -2 cards (ex. “Meat based meals on the slopes”) has the power that the next player must play a card equal to or lower than -2. This card must be played in sequence
• Any -1 card (ex. “Buying the newest gear every winter season”) has the power that the next player is skipped. This card must be played in sequence.
• “Join any climate action NGO” is a special card that can be played at any point and clears all the cards.