Microsoft's sustainability report is a lot more interesting as a 'Minecraft' map - January 28, 2021 at 10:55AM

Let’s face it: sustainability reports are important, but they’re usually quite dry reads. Microsoft might have a way to reel you in, however. According to The Verge, Microsoft has released a free Minecraft map that brings the goals of its latest sustainability report to life. “Sustainability City” lets you walk through eco-friendly food production, tour an energy-efficient home and explore concepts ranging from alternative energy to water outflow.

You can find the map in the Minecraft Marketplace’s “Education Collection,” and six lessons are available through Minecraft: Education Edition for teachers who want to share those environmental goals.

As for the report itself? Microsoft said it’s making some progress, although there are clearly years to go before it makes its targets. It’s slightly closer to becoming carbon negative after securing 1 million metric tons of carbon removal for fiscal 2021, and it’s nearer becoming water positive after investing 700 times more in water replenishment projects in 2020. The tech giant also had some success in reducing waste and forming partnerships to protect fragile ecosystems.

You unsurprisingly won’t find many of these figures in the Minecraft map, and Microsoft clearly isn’t expecting this project to become a sensation. It’s not a conventional save-the-planet action game, after all. Nonetheless, this might succeed if it gets even a handful of people to think about sustainability in practical terms.