Extinction Jenga
Scientists warn that 25% of plants and animals will disappear in the next 50 years. Every species - including the human species - plays an important role in Earth's systems in oceans, rivers, forests, etc. Just like a jenga tower, those systems become less stable as species go extinct1.
Fossil fuel and extractive industry destroys habitat of species threatened by extinction. Climate chaos exacerbates mass extinction.
Extinction and ecosystem collapse is forever! We only have one chance to stabilize Earth's systems.
Extinction Rebellion demands that leaders must declare a climate and ecological emergency. We must immediately halt commercial logging and other extraction from conservation lands and waters.
What can you do? Help to restore habitats and protest projects that cause local habitat loss in your community. Join Extinction Rebellion!
Do you want to use Extinction Jenga at your Community Event?
Please fill out this Form, we will contact you!
Instructions
Set Up
Contents:
- 54 Jenga blocks
- Extinction Jenga sign
- Care and gameplay sheet
- Tarp
Optional material (not included):
- Step stool
- Low table to create flat surface
- XR banner(s)
- XR flags
- Collapsable coffin for discarding removed blocks
Roles:
- 2-3 XR game facilitators to begin gameplay and recruit participants
- Crowd of public bystanders
Gameplay
Goal: Remove as many blocks from the tower as possible without knocking it down (the trick is to keep the game going long enough to have conversations with bystanders)
- Stack blocks on flat, dry surface in rows of three, alternating the block direction with each layer. Fully assembled, there should be 18 layers in total (see figure 1). Arrange sign, banner, flags as available/preferred.
- XR Game facilitators slowly begin removing blocks from the tower and setting them aside, calling out the names of the species on the blocks; if using collapsible coffin, place removed blocks in coffin (unlike traditional Jenga, blocks are not restacked on top of the tower - extinct species do not rejoin the ecosystem).
- XR game facilitators invite bystanders to join in removing the blocks while commenting about each species they remove.
- As gameplay continues with bystander players, facilitators shift the conversation to the impacts of biodiversity loss, e.g., pollinators and food systems, whales and CO2 cycle, birds and disease vector control, amphibians as early alarms to ecological disruption, etc.
- If enough bystander players participate, XR game facilitators can step back while the players lead removing the blocks and continuing the conversation about biodiversity loss and the climate crisis.
- Once the tower collapses, XR game facilitators invite new bystander players to rebuild, emphasizing that if we hold our governments accountable, it's not too late to come back from ecological collapse.
Care & Storage
- Please DO NOT split up the Extinction Jenga set! Just like the species they represent, each block is unique and essential.
- Store blocks in their storage bags: Stack 3 layers of 8 blocks on their picture side, and add 4 blocks upright on the end, see picture below for details.
- Do not stack other material on top of the blocks. The blocks are fragile!
- Do not use Extinction Jenga in the rain and store in a dry area.