A practical approach to the complex problem of environmental sustainability: The UVa Bay Game

Environmental sustainability is a complex problem in the very specific meaning of the word. With many dynamically interacting components in both natural and human dimensions, there are no concise descriptions or solutions to environmental sustainability problems. However, to better understand such problems, an agent-based simulation game of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed was developed. An underlying simulation model captures and represents the natural components of this largest estuary in the United States. Human (agent) behavior is captured through a "serious" game interface. The UVa Bay Game provides an experimental platform to advance the understanding of environmental sustainability in the university classroom as well as to enable policy-makers to discover and appreciate the unpredictable and often emergent consequences of their decision-making. The development of the UVa Bay Game is described and its current and planned use is outlined. Adapted from the source document.