Last week, two organisations used the power of Fortnite to inspire young audiences when it comes to sustainable living. And exactly why Fortnite was chosen may have something to do with the fact that those environmentally unfriendly avatars can’t stop chopping down trees. But IET’s Difference Makers and Guild Esports decided to counteract that in the most obvious way possible.

Guild Esports is an organisation - part owned by none other than football legend David Beckham himself - that was the first esports firm to be publicly traded in the United Kingdom. Difference Makers, meanwhile, are a movement that was created to celebrate 150 years of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). And they intend to harness the power of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to help save the world. You know, hero stuff.

On 27th August, the two collaborated on a net-zero Fortnite tournament featuring some of Guild Esports’ best Fortnite players. The aim of the game was to chop down as many trees in-game as possible whilst competing in a normal PvP match. A ‘tree-o-meter’ then tracked every tree felled which was replaced IRL by Difference Makers. By doing so, the group offset the carbon footprint from the tournament created through PC gaming and streaming.

557 trees were planted as a result of their efforts. But that wasn’t the only result. The stream also worked as a route to discussing how gaming can lead to fruitful STEM careers. IET President Professor Danielle George MBE said “The future scientists, technicians, engineers, and geeks who might one day save the world are likely to be found today – in front of their consoles. With STEM and sustainability so integral to modern life, we’re proud to be creating the world’s first Fortnite tournament where players are fighting for more than just the win; they’re also fighting to make a positive impact on the world around them.”

This green thinking Fortnite tournament isn’t the only gaming-for-good endeavour carried out by Difference Makers. So watch this space as they’ll likely feature in a future Feelgood Friday segment before you know it.

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