It is common knowledge that playing video games is highly beneficial to cognitive function, among other things. So many things are developed inside you when you play games, skills you will find useful in the real world. However, having enjoyed the benefits of video gaming, it is time for you to give back to the society. As a gamer, you can make positive impacts by using your video gaming skills and gaming for good.
More so, some charities today partner up with gaming influencers and enthusiasts like you, including students. These charities are becoming increasingly sophisticated as they look to boost their engagement with young people. Through live streaming events where gamers play the most popular games on the most used platforms, charities can attract future fundraisers. With that said, here are different ways students can make a positive impact with their video gaming skills.
Offset the Damage Carbon Emissions Is Causing the Environment
One way you can give back to society with your video gaming skills is by helping the environment fight carbon emissions. Digital technology is growing, and while that is a good thing in many ways, it is costing the environment so much. Furthermore, the statistics show that information, communication, and technology account for at least 2% of global carbon emissions. Meanwhile, carbon is emitted through the manufacturing of technology and energy consumption.
With many more people becoming digitally included daily, this number is expected to increase. Many gamers are aware of how harmful their hobby is to the environment, and they want to help mitigate it. As such, they partner with charities to assist in offsetting the damage video gaming inadvertently inflicts on the environment. One way you can give back as a video gamer is to find ways to mitigate tech’s environmental damage.
An excellent example of such collaborations between charities and gamers is a Gaming for Good event that involves gaming influencers. In the event, gamers chop down virtual trees, and through the Difference Makers campaign, they are replanted in real life. Life as a student should not only be about buying thesis; you can positively impact the environment even as you study.
Making Gaming More Inclusive
More programs are being created that students can be a part of; these programs aim to make gaming more inclusive. It’s already happening in the US as non-profit AbleGamers encourages the gaming industry to be more accessible and inclusive. Student gamers can help warn others about the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic on disabled people. Then, they can enumerate the power of gaming to support the heightened threat of social isolation.
Furthermore, you can be a mouthpiece to encourage more female gamers, making the venture more gender-inclusive. According to the stats, although gaming is gender-inclusive, men still significantly outnumber women when it comes to professional gaming. As a student video gamer, you can reach more people in your community, highlighting the positive effects of video gaming.
More Light on Mental Health
As the world is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health has become a topic among funders and charities alike. The importance of mental health cannot be overemphasized, as there are increasing levels of anxiety. As such, there needs to be a sharper focus placed on loneliness and other issues like it. Young people, students, and gaming enthusiasts or influencers can join the campaign to show people the therapeutic properties of gaming.
You can reach many struggling with mental health and offer gaming as a welcome escape. Charities are already recognizing the link between emotional well-being and gaming, and link-ups with gaming influencers are on the increase. One such charity is Help for Heroes, which focuses on the links between gaming and mental health through its Hero Up Initiative. Already, a lot of money has been raised for wounded veterans and to promote mental health through video games.
The gaming industry is worth billions, with several hundreds of millions of gamers worldwide. As a student and gaming enthusiast, you can partner with the charity and create the next generation of fundraisers. Take up the charity’s offer and participate in the event to hit fundraising milestones and make a positive impact.
Vote Environmentally Friendly Games
There is an initiative currently going on, “Playing for the Planet Alliance,” where the gaming industry partners with the UN’s Environment Program. These initiative gaming firms create several green communities to reduce the emissions of dangerous substances created by video games. They seek to include integrating environmental elements into games to support global environmental policies. More so, the initiative offers gamers the chance to vote through its Green Game Jam Gaming for Good initiative.
The initiative gives you the opportunity to vote for your favorite environmentally friendly game content. You can show your support by indicating how well the green-focused content fits within the game. Also, share how much you’ve learned about the environment from the game content and what you think needs improvement.
Join Charities and Raise Funds
Under the Gaming for Good initiative, charities have staged festivals spanning several weeks to offer gamers the opportunity to raise funds for charities. Meanwhile, the funds they’ll be raising will be for a longer period rather than simply through a one-time event. The fundraisers will involve slick marketing and staging that gamers can help with as best as possible.
Furthermore, these events, like the Game Action event, one of the most impressive gaming for good festivals, will involve an imaginative variety of linkups. Game Action was created by War Child and held for five weeks, and it included an 11-hour marathon video game streaming.
Apart from the satisfaction of watching popular games being played, much money was raised through the event. You can make a positive impact through gaming by joining these events and offering to use your skills to raise funds.
Conclusion
While you enjoy the fun and health benefits that come with video gaming, you don’t want to keep them to yourself. There are several ways you can make a positive impact through gaming, including those mentioned in this article. Gaming for Good link-ups allows gaming influencers and enthusiasts to give back to the environment. As a student and gamer, here’s your chance to help offset some of the damage your hobby inflicts on the environment.