MCAD Alum’s Sustainability Board Game Named Green Product Award Finalist | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

MCAD Alum’s Sustainability Board Game Named Green Product Award Finalist

February 03, 2026
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"AcClimatize" board game, Virginia Gail Smith
Virginia Gail Smith ’24, MA

Virginia Gail Smith ’24, MA has been named a finalist in the international Green Product Award for her thesis project, AcClimatize, a board game designed to make sustainability education engaging and accessible for families.

Developed as part of Smith’s master’s degree in Sustainable Design, AcClimatize is a game for ages ten and up that introduces players to sustainable lifestyle choices through the lens of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In keeping with its mission, AcClimatize is produced entirely from sustainable materials, including organic cotton, recycled card stock, wood, and dried beans, with no plastic or coatings—making all components compostable.

Inspired by her lifelong passions for art, motherhood, and environmental stewardship, Smith hopes the project will motivate players to develop a deeper love for nature and a stronger sense of responsibility for the planet. Public voting for AcClimatize is open now at the Green Product Award website open through January 16.

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