Hamm launches waste app: Children save the garbage monsters on AfA-X!

Hamm launches waste app: Children save the garbage monsters on AfA-X!

A new star in the sky of environmental education has recently seen the light of the digital world. The waste management and city cleaning company Hamm (ASH) has published the free app “Die Müll AG”, which is intended for children aged eight and over as well as adults. Here, users on the planet AfA-X experience how they can support the garbage monsters and help them separate waste. The waste comes from the neighboring planet “Hammox”. With a creative story mode, players can experience exciting games about waste separation while collecting information about local attractions in Hamm. The app is available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, with no advertising or costs for users. It also supports the languages ​​German, English and French

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Playful learning about waste separation

The app offers various tasks related to sorting types of waste such as organic waste, hazardous waste and paper waste. But that's not all! There is also an endless mode where players can test their trash sorting knowledge. In a test phase, five secondary schools in Hamm - including the Arnold Freimuth Comprehensive School and the Sophie Scholl Comprehensive School - provided feedback. The feedback from students was consistently positive; They praised the garbage monsters and the separation game, but wanted shorter monologues and an exciting quiz. This makes “Die Müll AG” not only an entertaining but also an educational offering for all age groups. In 2023, the app even received the RAL Serious Games quality mark, which underlines the high quality standards.

But something is not only happening in Hamm. Across Germany, the figures also show that computer and video games enjoy a high status in society: around 60% of the population are gamers, according to the Federal Association of the German Games Industry. The number of players is increasing in all age groups, which underlines the relevance of game elements in education. Serious games, i.e. games with educational content, have proven to be an effective way to convey important topics such as sustainability in an appealing way. The Federal Environment Agency is working intensively on digital tools to promote education and participation, which are essential for an environmentally conscious society.

A look into the future with digital tools

Innovations are needed to increase awareness of sustainability among broader sections of the population. It is often the younger generations who are becoming more involved in environmental issues. But even less interested citizens should be reached through appealing and educational formats. The developments of serious games show that playful learning can effectively contribute to raising awareness of environmental issues. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has researched the potential of such games and found that awareness of environmental issues actually increases after playing, especially when taking into account changes in one's own behavior.

In addition, the gaming community is encouraged to integrate sustainability issues more closely into new games. Games like “Little Impacts” are excellent examples of how environmental awareness can be packaged well. This serious game, released in 2024, comprehensively covers topics such as sustainable nutrition, mobility and political participation and even won the TOMMI German Children's Software Prize.

“Die Müll AG” in Hamm and other innovative games make it clear that digital tools are not just for entertainment, but can also make an important contribution to environmental education. If you would like to find out more about the app, you can visit the Hamm website at www.hamm.de/ash/umweltbildung inform.