Wednesday, February 12, 1992 — North Shore News - 47 Game raises environmental awareness IT WAS a good thing it rained on Earth Day 1990. By Barbera Black News Reporter Otherwise North Vancouver resi- dent Bonnie Gosse might not have created her educational board game Keeping It Green. “We were going to go canoe- ing...with another family and pick up garbage to recycle at Burnaby Lake,’” Gosse recalls. ‘‘Then it poured...1 said to my two daugh- ters ‘why don’t we make up Earth Day games for cach other?’ Then they went off and I just kept on going,’’ she laughs. When she was finished, Gosse showed the game to a friend in- volved in environmental issues. The friend advised her ‘‘Get out there and market that!’” The ensuing months were spent doing a marketing survey, raising money to finance the project, in- corporating a company and hav- ing the game printed. And learn- ing a whole lot. Gosse never dreamed that the game would go beyond her own family to be sold in stores across Canada and in the U.S. “I'd mever been in business be- fore,’? Gosse exclaims. ‘‘That’s a whole new realm. Wow!”’ But” the neo-businesswoman managed to have the game on the market by Dec. 1, 1990. Keep it Green is an attractive- looking game that comes in a green box with a-picture of Earth on the front. Suitable for ages 10 to adult, it stresses a cooperative playing approach and_ educates people on how their everyday ac- tivities can help or harm the earth. “The object of the game is for all the players: to reach the planet Earth while it’s still green, and if they do they and the Earth all win.’ The catch is that as players move around the board some of the grey cards, which explain practices harmful to the environ- ment, call for a grey overlay to be put on the earth. Four of these overlays on the earth and it is ““vame over.’’ But Gosse salvation. “The best consequence of a green card (which explains habits beneficial to the environment) is that you earn a green tree...you can rescue ihe earth by removing the grey overlays. It takes two green trees to move one overlay.”’ The catch is that each tree must come from a different player, a cooperative effort. Keep It Green has another dimension to it that is uniquely Gosse’s. “Part of the uespoken message of the game is iat it is hoping to help people to integrate their right and left brain, or intellectual and Creative power, or physical and spiritual parts, on how they view the world.’’ The board, which shows various world environments, is illustrated in pencil crayon rather than designed graphically. “It requires that you actually bring your consciousness to it,’’ explains Gosse. Gosse is especially excited about the colored circles that come with is ready with the ‘Warm Your Windows _ With Wood Order the Renaissance Collection today. Offer ends Feb. 29/92 (Hurry, it may never be heard of again!) A SHADE BETTER Specializing in Blinds and Draperies for over 7 years 1877 Marine Drive, NVan. 984-4104 #438918 Progress Way, Squamish 892-5857 Whistter 932-6617 THE GOSSE family sits down to a game of Keep It Gree, a board game which promotes en- vironmentally sound practices and encourages cooperative thinking. Mother Bonnie Gosse (third from left) has marketed the game across Canada and the U.S. and soon plans to do a second print run. Also pictured are (from left) Sylvie (11), Rebecca (14) and futher Dave. Each player gets one of these colored overlays as a sort of focusing tool. “You are told they are a pow- erful device from the 21st century that can help you to focus your heneficia! thinking onto an object frora afar,’' Essentially, it encourages cre- ative visualization. Now until February 28, for British Columbia residents only, experience the luxury of Vancouver's only downtown resort hotel, The Westin Bayshore, for as little as $80* a night. Whether it’s for a weekend getaway or just a mid-week break, you'll revel in the comfort of a finely appointed room “Our life is really very left- brain, very absolute’ Gosse says intently. ‘‘...thinking that all there is to life is what you see around you. We are reaily energy beings on many levels.”’ Some. people fike the idea behind the overlays, while others aren’t comfortable with the con- cept. Keep It Green is presently being tested in seven Lower Mainland school districts. Gosse hopes to do a larger print run of 5,000 soon. The game is available on the North Shore at Westernesse book . store, Lynn Canyon Ecology Cen- tre, Capers and Paper Go Round at a cost of $25.95. and enjoy a $40*food and beverage credit each day of your stay, including world-famous Trader Vic's. To discover just how accommodating we can be, call our toll-free number, 800-228-3000 or the hotel direct at (604) 682-3377 and ask for the “80/40 Rate”. * Single or double occupancy. Maximum 2 nights stay. Taxes additional. Based on space availabilicy and not valid for groups, other special discounts: Value Plus for the nights of February 14 & 15. Westin Premier points nut awarded for this promotion, No cash refund on any unused portion of the food & beverage credit. Ke THE WESTIN BAYSHORE Vancouver Pa i