Tearfund Launches Online Game to Combat Climate Change

|PIC1|Following the Carbon Dating event which was organised by the Stop Climate Chaos coalition in the beginning of March, Christian relief and development agency Tearfund has launched a new online pentathlon to encourage people to combat climate change by living lives less harmful to the planet.

The pentathlon, which has been launched to coincide with the Commonwealth Games, features five easy-to-learn games that encourage people to combat climate change.

The games give practical tips on how to cut down on pollution and use less energy in a bid to slow down climate change at the individual level, such as turning the lights out in a busy office, recycling rubbish into the right containers, cycling to post a letter, promoting the use of cooler clothes washes and installing various energy efficiency devices at home.

In addition, the pentathlon encourages people to sign up to the Stop Climate Chaos pledge. This assures the Prime Minister that the individual is taking action themselves to combat climate change and urges him to ensure greenhouse gas emissions are cut and more assistance is given to the developing world to reduce the impact of climate change.

|AD|At the Carbon Dating event earlier this month, Tearfund has challenged MPs to support the government and call on the UK government to take action internationally to ensure that carbon dioxide emissions peak by 2015.

James Alexander, Tearfund Campaigns Officer, said: "Our partners in developing countries are telling us that those they work with are already suffering because of climate change. It is the poorest people that suffer the most from rising sea levels, more extreme weather, more flooding and irregular seasons. This fun pentathlon has the serious message that each of us is responsible for doing what we can to lessen this impact."

The game is being promoted on Tearfund's website and also on its youth website at www.tearfund.org/youth.