Bloom: The Saga of the Poop Fertilizer
Director:
Gerardo Ruiz-Mercado (EPA), David Cole (UW-Madison), and Lauren Knose (EPA)
Running Time:
45
Year:
2024
Country:
United States
Project type:
Game
Description:
In Bloom: The Saga of the Poop Fertilizer Economy, players serve as the director of SAGA:The Sustainable Agricultural Growth Administration. In this role, their goal is to foster economic growth across five different counties while reducing agricultural runoff and gross algal blooms. To win, players must develop local trade networks, employ a range of economic and environmental policies, and balance the needs and perspectives of bickering townsfolk. A key focus of the game is learning about the relationship between agricultural runoff and water quality, while exploring how markets that allow farmers to sell excess manure can lead to cleaner water and economic sustainability.
Gerardo Ruiz-Mercado (EPA), David Cole (UW-Madison), and Lauren Knose (EPA)
Bloom was designed with our amazing partners at UW-Madison’s Scalable Systems Lab and the experts at U.S. Environmental Protections Agency, including Gerardo Ruiz-Mercado (EPA), David Cole (UW-Madison), and Lauren Knose (EPA). Special thanks to Victor Zavala and his students for sharing their time and expertise. Throughout the design and testing process, we relied on the experience and insights of Field Day teacher fellows and student play-testers from across Wisconsin.