iteration 3 carbon clash notes

  • Goal to have the least carbon footprint
  • Debate on principle, not number
  • Game players came up with a convincing argument
  • Have the same card tie in war
  • Get rid of 2 out of 3, and instead count to see who has the highest carbon score loses
  • Clarify that this is a take on war
  • Room for improvement and expansion

Carbon Clash Revised Rules: PA Edition

Objective: Have the lowest total carbon footprint (fewest cards) when the main deck runs out.

1. The “Clash” (The Win/Loss Flip)

  • On your turn, choose one card from the top of your pile to play into the center.
  • All players reveal their chosen card.
  • The player with the HIGHEST carbon footprint (highest score) must collect all cards played in that round.
  • These cards go into your Secondary Pile (your “Carbon Debt”).

2. The Debate (Tie Rule)

If two players play cards with similar emissions (e.g., a Hybrid Car vs. Carpooling):

  • Players enter a Debate.
  • Each player has 15 seconds to argue why their activity is worse for the environment, specifically (e.g., “PA has a high-density bus network in Philly, making it more efficient than a single Hybrid, therefore, a hybrid has worse emissions”).
  • The other players vote. The winner of the debate takes the cards.

3. Pennsylvania “Learning Twist.”

If you play a “High Impact” card (score 200+), you may discard it instead of giving it to the winner if you can name one specific PA-based initiative or fact (ex, “The state’s transition toward natural gas over coal”).


End of Game & Scoring

The game ends immediately when any player’s Primary Stack (the cards they were dealt at the start) runs out.

Determining the Winner:

  1. Count the cards in your Secondary Pile.
  2. The player with the FEWEST cards wins.
  3. Tie-breaker: If card counts are equal, sum the carbon scores. The lowest total score wins.

Game 3 Carbon Clash

Players

2 players

Time

10–15 minutes

Objective

Win the most cards by playing lower carbon emission activities than your opponents.

Deck

  • A single deck of Activity Cards
  • Each card includes:
    • Activity (e.g., Driving, Flying, Biking, Solar Power)
    • A carbon score (number value)

Setup

  • Shuffle the deck
  • Deal all cards evenly to players (face-down)
  • Players do not look at their cards
  • Keep cards in a stack in front of you

Gameplay

1. Flip

All players flip their top card at the same time

2. Compare

  • The card with the LOWEST carbon score wins
  • (Reverse of traditional War)

3. Collect

  • Winner takes all played cards
  • Place them at the bottom of your stack

Carbon Clash (Tie Rule)

If two or more players tie:

  1. Each tied player places 1 card face-down
  2. Then flips 1 card face-up
  3. Compare again → lowest carbon wins all cards

Learning Twist

Before taking the cards, each tied player must say one way to reduce emissions related to their activity

  • If they give a valid answer → continue
  • If they can’t → they lose 1 extra card to the winner

End of Game

Choose one:

  • Play until one player has all the cards
    OR
  • Set a timer → player with the most cards wins

Key Rules to Remember

  • Lower carbon = better
  • Always flip at the same time
  • Only use the card deck—no board, tokens, or extras

Key Cards

ActivityCarbon Score
Walking0
Biking0
Solar Power5
Wind Energy5
Public Bus40
Train45