Pokémon GO and Climate Change: Gotta Save ’Em All
My Climate Story
Like pretty much everyone else, I downloaded Pokémon GO in July 2016.
That month — when everyone was crowding in Balboa Park — was a memorable time. Everyone was walking around, “catching” virtual creatures in the real world while interacting with other people.
So, when Pokémon GO first came out, I convinced my family to download it. Not only would it allow us to spend time together, but it would also allow us to exercise while exploring our town. All was well, and we eventually joined with friends and other Pokémon GO players in my community as we explored places from downtown San Diego to national parks.
However, two summers ago, my family and I were playing Pokémon GO at a local park when a fire erupted not half a mile away. Immediately, the air filled with smoke, and it triggered my dad’s asthma which he hadn’t had since he was in China. We quickly drove him to a hospital where he was treated. The experience was certainly frightening, but also eye-opening. I was aware of the effects of climate change before, but this showed how real it was. It was at that point that I realized the immediate dangers of climate change, and how they threaten my family and community.
I am no stranger to wildfires. I have encountered them long before Pokémon Go; in 2007, when I was only 5 years old, my family woke up to an evacuation order to flee the rapidly-spreading Witch Creek Fire in San Diego’s North County area. After taking shelter in Qualcomm Stadium for three days, we learned that over 400 homes had been burned in our town. Though this experience was one of my earliest memories, it has ingrained in my mind the disastrous effects of climate change.
Certainly, the effects of climate change encompass more than wildfires. More recently, I was unable to play Pokémon GO because of extreme weather conditions as the summer temperatures in San Diego have consecutively reached all-time highs. At other times, hiking trails are inaccessible due to mudslides or floods from heavy rains. Now, I seldom play in downtown San Diego because of the smog and air pollution.
In just four short years of playing Pokémon GO, I have experienced the increasing dangers of climate change, and these experiences make it clear that the time for action is long overdue.
The Pokémon GO Identity
The thing that makes Pokémon GO different and better from other apps — the flame that keeps Charmander alive — is its community. Thanks to Pokémon GO, you can instantly connect with friends via the app or meet random people loitering in the park. Equally important to community, is having an environment to play in. Everyone knows the Pokémon motto is “Gotta Catch ’Em All,” but we can’t do so without abandoning the comfort of our couch. Indeed, as Pokémon GO players, we are prompted to explore the outdoors and new trails, parks, and sights. And over time, we have grown familiar with and attached to these places. Thus, it is important that we have environments to play in including physical surroundings and atmospheric ones such as the weather. We rely on having both a community and environment because they allow us to keep catching Pokémon.
But what happens when those values are compromised by climate change? When our community is burned down by wildfires? Or when we can’t go outside because of hazardous weather conditions? Climate change is a threat to community and ultimately the game itself — the very values that we share and care for. Certainly, by now, we have all encountered some effect of climate change whether wildfires or extreme weathers. Think back to how many times have you seen the weather warnings in the app and been unable to play? Because of wildfires, floods, and hurricanes, communities have been altogether destroyed. From eroded trails to polluted air, the impacts of climate change have been worsening for years. As Pokémon GO players, climate change threatens the physical environment and also the community of friends and family that we have built. The immediacy and urgency of climate change is undeniable.
The Pokémon GO of Sustainability
Addressing climate change and its devastating effects will require an unprecedented amount of community effort on a local and global scale. While individual actions should not be underestimated, social movements and collective action are still needed to effectively combat climate change. Fortunately, creating community is the essence of what Pokémon GO is as it incentivizes players to engage in the real world and meet new people, while creating shared values and a common purpose.
With a community already established, the question becomes what can we collectively do to make the Pokémon GO of sustainability a reality?
Sign a Petition: We can petition for Pokémon GO developers to reward players for eco-conscious actions such as riding a bike or using public transportation. Pokémon GO could reward players with new Pokémon or offer credits for in-app purchases. The petition could also call developers to implement in-game features that raise awareness of climate change.
Join a Cause: The game already makes us get up and leave our homes, so why can’t we play the game and clean the environment? Everyone knows one of the best Pokémon spawns in San Diego are in Balboa Park which conveniently houses the organization Friends of Balboa Park where volunteers can participate in events such as clean-ups and gardening to improve not only the park but also surrounding communities.
Advocate for Eco-Conscious Events: Last year, Pokémon GO held their first Earth Day event where players gathered to collect garbage from the beaches. It is an event definitely that we all should participate in, but Earth Day doesn’t just have to be an annual occasion. We can push for Pokémon GO to hold the event more frequently, or we could even gather as a community and hold clean-ups ourselves. There’s no reason why Earth Day has to be once a year. Take it from Detective Pikachu, who makes a small quip on climate change right before the ground gives way beneath him.
We still have a long way to go, and there much to be done — but perhaps we’ll get there once we’ve saved them all.
