Fun eco-Learning for the whole family...from Starbucks

Starbucks, often seen as a big corporation that squishes its smaller, local café competition, has something for those who wish to see better education on environmental issues.
Planet Green Game, a collaboration by Starbucks and Global Green USA, is for all ages and allows people to see a visual representation of what they can do to make the world a better place.
Sure, it's in a virtual world, but it contains real-world examples of what is being done now, in the real world. I played the game, so I'll tell you what I found.
At first, it asks you to enter your name, then asks you to choose an avatar and mode of transportation. I chose a hybrid car, which gave me 2 points every time I traveled around the virtual town of Evergreen for using a low-emissions vehicle. You can do better by choosing to walk, use a skateboard or ride a bike.
Then I got to choose either a direction, using the arrows on my keyboard, or by clicking on one of a set of destinations. I chose the Service Station, where I gassed up and got the opportunity to take a test drive for extra points. I don't do well when driving virtual cars, so it was a relief to get the points for even trying!
Next, I just drove around, trying to discover new things. A note of caution: Just driving around without a destination costs gas in any of the motorized vehicles. I eventually found Evergreen High school. Once there, I was given a quiz. With every correct answer, I was given points and the school got a new green feature added to it. The screen shot example to the right informs players about green improvements that the Los Angeles Unified School District is making to its schools. I got 100 extra points just for reading about how others are making a difference.
As I puttered around town, I came across these people with little bubbles with an "i" inside. Clicking on one of these gives you more information. I clicked on a little family as I was moving around and they "stopped" to tell me all about how changing just one lightbulb in my house out for one that saves energy could reduce pollution dramatically.
There are six destinations and 10 bonus opportunities for points. Along with the wealth of information you could learn from places like the building supply store and building a more environmentally responsible city park, you can go to the movie theater (by bus if you walk, skateboard or bike around town and click on a bus stop) where the Gen Art Online Film Festival shows real short movies about subjects like saving polar bears and the Vineyard Energy Project, based on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.
More than just a Web site, this game is full of knowledge for anyone, of any age, who wants to know more about the environment and what can be done to help it, or to just have fun.

All images above are screenshots from Planet Green Game as I played it yesterday and today.