Toxic Town

''Air Quality Index'' The Air Quality Index measures the amount of dangerous pollution in the air. You can see the current AQI for your area in your phone's weather app, or by going to (link-repeat:"AirNow.gov")[(open-url:"https://www.airnow.gov")]. The higher the number, the more dangerous it is. Air pollutants can cause all sorts of lung and throat issues, as well as dizziness and faintness, since you're not getting the oxygen you need. Luckily, most buildings have air filters that clean up the air before it comes inside, so if the AQI rises, staying indoors can help avoid those symptoms.

''Antoinette Hodgens'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/A_Smart_Black_Businesswoman_Cartoon.svg/467px-A_Smart_Black_Businesswoman_Cartoon.svg.png> Antoinette is a loud, excitable representative of the Solar Energy Commission. She has a tendency to come on a little strong.

''Biodegradable'' Biodegradable substances are substances that can be broken back down into their original ingredients by living organisms. Food is the most obvious example, since our bodies break it down. Other biodegradable substances include paper, wood, and cardboard. While we cannot digest them, plenty of animals, plants, and bacteria can. There are some substances that very few organisms can break down. For example, only a few species in the whole world can break down plastic, and those species are very rare. For that reason, most plastic sits around in landfills for decades after it's thrown away, and if any animals try to eat it, it will make them sick. Figuring out how to either biodegrade plastic effectively or come up with a good replacement for it is one of the most important problems scientists are trying to figure out.

''Blair Sinclair'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Cartoon_Woman_Being_Filmed_For_A_Professional_Corporate_Video.svg/640px-Cartoon_Woman_Being_Filmed_For_A_Professional_Corporate_Video.svg.png alt="Blair, a brunette woman with tan skin, holding a microphone and talking to a film camera"> Blair Sinclair is the overly affectionate head anchor of the local news station. She's super enthustiastic about everything and wants everyone she meets to be her best friend.

''Carbon Footprint'' A carbon footprint is one way of measuring how much environmental impact something might have. Carbon is the main periodic table element that makes up plants and animals, as well as other inanimate resources like coal and gasoline. When we damage the environment and/or use up those resources, we release carbon into the air in the form of carbon dioxide gas. On its own, carbon dioxide is harmless, since plants can break it down and turn it back into oxygen for us to breathe, but when there's too much of it, it causes climate change. No matter what we do, we will always have a carbon footprint, so it's important to be slow and careful with your choices to make our steps as small and gentle as possible.

''Character Guide'' Click on any of the characters below to read more about them. |output>[] (if:$characters is false)[You haven't met anyone yet!]\ (if:$Antoinette is true)[(link-repeat: "Antoinette Hodgens")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Antoinette")]]]\ (if:$Blair is true)[(link-repeat: "Blair Sinclair")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Blair")]]]\ (if:$Gabe is true)[(link-repeat: "Gabe Jackson")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Isaiah")]]]\ (if:$Isaiah is true)[(link-repeat: "Isaiah Bryant")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Isaiah")]]]\ (if:$Kevin is true)[(link-repeat: "Kevin Kesterson")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Kevin")]]]\ (if:$KateandNate is true)[(link-repeat: "Kate and Nate Baker")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Nate and Kate")]]]\ (if:$Lilly is true)[(link-repeat: "Lilly Little")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Lilly")]]]\ (if:$Lafont is true)[(link-repeat: "Reginald Lafont")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Lafont")]]]\ (if:$Stella is true)[(link-repeat: "Stella Winthrop")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Stella")]]]\ (if:$Steven is true)[(link-repeat: "Steven Kesterson")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Steven")]]]\ (if:$Taylor is true)[(link-repeat: "Taylor Friedman")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Taylor")]]]\ (if:$Tim is true)[(link-repeat: "Tim Candel")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Tim")]]]\

''Citizen Scientist'' A citizen scientist is a member of the community who takes data on the status of the environment around their home. Citizen scientists either form groups within their towns or send in their data to larger organization. By keeping track of the weather, level of pollution, and wellbeing of wildlife in their backyards, they're able to recognize when environmental problems are starting and report those warning signs to the government and other local organizations. You can become a citizen scientist in your community. To find projects in your area, you can click the link below. (link-repeat:"Find a Project!")[(open-url:"https://scistarter.org/finder?active=true")]

''EPA'' EPA stands for the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA studies the environment and how it can affect people's health. They create and support laws that prevent the use of dangerous pollutants in construction and manufacturing. They also conduct periodic inspections all over the country to make sure nobody breaks those laws. When that happens, they might designate an area as a superfund site and dedicate federal funds to cleaning it up.

(if:$successfulTerms <= 4)[Congrats! You’ve made it to the end of your term in office, and now you want to run again. Now it is up to the citizens to decide whether they want you to be their president for another term. You wait anxiously as the election results roll in... Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $money) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') (after:5s)[ (text-style:"buoy")[(if: $publicSupport >= 50)[[You won!]] ]\ (text-style:"buoy")[(if:$publicSupport < 50)[[You lost...]]]\ ] ]\

''Food Desert'' Food deserts are neighborhoods that lack proper access to fresh fruits and vegetables. People who live in food deserts are more likely to have longterm health issues, since they do not get the nutrition their bodies need.

(if:$naturalResources <= 0)[(go-to:"Natural Resources Loss")]\ (if:$publicSupport <= 0)[(go-to:"Public Support Loss")]\ (if:$money <= 0)[(go-to:"Wealth Loss")]\ (if:$successfulTerms >= 5)[(go-to:"Retirement Win")]\ (if:$naturalResources > 100)[(set:$naturalResources to 100)\ ]\ (if:$wealth > 100)[(set:$wealth to 100)\ ]\ (if:$publicSupport > 100)[(set:$publicSupport to 100)\ ]\ (unless: (passage:)'s tags contains "No-Menus")[ [[Glossary]] [[Character Guide]] [[Options]] ]\

''Gabe Jackson'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Shocked_Cartoon_Guy_Without_Money.svg/640px-Shocked_Cartoon_Guy_Without_Money.svg.png alt="Gabe, a confused, stressed out looking man with black hair, holding an empty wallet."> Gabe Jackson works at $parish Parish Animal Control. He has a tendency to talk first, think later, which sometimes makes him come off as rude.

''Glossary'' Click on any of the terms below to read more about them. |output>[] ''Game Definitions:'' (link-repeat: "Natural Resources")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Natural Resources Definition")]] (link-repeat:"Public Support")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Public Support Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Wealth")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Wealth Definition")]] ''Scientific Definitions:'' (link-repeat: "Air Quality Index")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "AQI Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Biodegradable")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Biodegradable Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Carbon Footprint")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Carbon Footprint Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Citizen Scientist")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Citizen Scientist Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Food Desert")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Food Desert Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Heavy Metals")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Heavy Metals Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Lead")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Lead Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Mold and Mildew")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Mold Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Petrochemical Plants")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Petrochemical Plants Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Pollution")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Pollution Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Renewable Energy")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Renewable Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Sulfur Dioxide")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Sulfur Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Sustainability")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Sustainability Definition")]] ''Legal/Business Definitions'' (link-repeat: "EPA")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "EPA Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Green Economy")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Green Economy Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Inauguration")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Inauguration Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Louisiana Laws")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Louisiana Laws Definition")]] (link-repeat: "National Weather Service")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "National Weather Service Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Petition")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Petition Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Special Event Permits")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Special Events Permit Definition")]] (link-repeat: "Zoning Permits")[(replace: ?output)[(display: "Zoning Permits Definition")]] (link-goto: "Back", (history:)'s last)

''Green Economy'' When we talk about the green economy, what we mean is that in the future, companies that want to make a lot of money will need to be environmentally friendly. As people become more and more committed to making eco-friendly choices, they will not buy as much from companies that are wasteful and harm the environment around them. For example, when several states banned plastic straws, plastic straw companies started making a lot less money. For that reason, some of the companies switched to selling paper straws instead. Now, if someone wanted to start a new straw company, they'd be more likely to make a paper straw company, even if they're not an environmentalist, just because paper straw companies make more money. This is a key reason why it's important to support eco-friendly businesses. When we buy from eco-friendly businesses, we are teaching business owners that they need to make good environmental choices if they want our money.

''Heavy Metals'' Heavy metals are exactly what they sound like. They are much heavier than water. That being said, when we refer to heavy metals in an environmental context, we are specifically talking about a subset of them that can be very toxic. Toxic heavy metals include lead, arsenic, and uranium. The machines in petrochemical plants tend to be made out of heavy metals, and other heavy metals are left behind as waste products from chemical reactions. For that reason, these toxins sometimes leech into the ecosystems around plants if the workers are not careful to dispose of waste carefully.

''Inauguration'' An inauguration is a celebration for someone who just won a major political position. Usually, an inauguration begins with the elected person giving a speech thanking their supporters and talking about their goals for the term, as well as how they plan to achieve them. After that, they hold a large party or dinner, where they can get to know other members of the government that they will be working with.

''Isaiah Bryant'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Cartoon_Guy_Presents_An_Increasing_Sales_Graph.svg/640px-Cartoon_Guy_Presents_An_Increasing_Sales_Graph.svg.png alt="Isaiah, a Black man with an afro wearing a white collared shirt, pointing to a graph."> Isaiah Bryant works as an inspector for the Environmental Protection Agency. He's also very into sports.

''Kevin Kesterson'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Cartoon_Guy_Looking_At_A_Gooey_Wallet.svg/640px-Cartoon_Guy_Looking_At_A_Gooey_Wallet.svg.png alt="Kevin, a young brunette man, sitting on the floor, wondering why his wallet is all wet."> Kevin is your assistant. He's not the best at... well... everything, but he means well. His job at City Hall helps him pay to take care of his nephew Steven.

''Reginald Lafont'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Genius_Billionaire_Cartoon.svg alt="Reginald Lafont, a well dressed man with slicked back hair and sunglasses surrounded by money."> Reginald Lafont is the current owner of Lafont Tire, a company that his father founded and passed down to him. He can be rude and impulsive. All he cares about is money.

''Lead'' Lead is a type of metal that used to be used in things like plumbing and paint because it lasts a long time. Unfortunately, it can also cause serious illness in babies and toddlers. For that reason, builders no longer use it. However, if a house is very old, there may still be some left over. Lead from old buildings can also be left behind at demolition sites or in landfills. It's very important to keep babies away from lead, since lead exposure can permanently stunt their growth and development.

''Lilly Little'' <style> img { width: 230px; height: 300px;} </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Black_Cartoon_Woman_Carrying_A_Stack_Of_Boxes.svg/640px-Black_Cartoon_Woman_Carrying_A_Stack_Of_Boxes.svg.png alt="Lilly, a young Black girl carrying boxes of baked goods"> Lilly is a local high school student who loves baking, gardening, and environmentalism.

''Louisiana Laws'' Laws are rules that are made to help people live together in a fair and safe way. Just like how you have rules in your classroom or at home to help everyone get along, laws are rules that we all have to follow to make sure we treat each other fairly and respectfully. Laws are made by the government and they cover lots of different things, like how fast we can drive our cars, what we can and cannot do with our pets, and how we should behave towards each other. Louisiana's laws are set up in a way that makes it super cheap and easy for big companies to buy up lots of land to build massive factories. Louisiana also doesn't have a lot of systems in place to make sure those factories are safe for their employees and the neighbors around them. These laws benefit businesses that want to cut corners to save money at the expense of safety.

''Mold and Mildew'' Mold and mildew are both types of fungi that grow in warm, wet areas. They also grow on rotting food, which is why you need to get rid of food before it goes bad. Mold looks like fuzzy dirt. It comes in red, green, and black. Mildew looks like whitish grey powder that turns brown over time. Both can be very dangerous, especially for your lungs. If you see something that looks like it could be mold or mildew in your home, cover your nose and mouth, leave the area, and alert an adult immediately.

Reginald Lafont: asshole tire company guy Stella Winthrop: sustainable light rail developer Kevin Kesterson: assistant extraordinaire Steven Kesteron: nephew with cancer Calvin Kesterson: Kevin's brother the park ranger Nate and Kate Baker: twin festival organizers Taylor Friedman: citizen scientist whistleblower Tim Candel: representative from the National Weather Service Blair Sinclair: reporter from the news station Antoinette Hodgens: Solar Energy Commission Gabe Jackson: Animal Control Lilly Little: Teenaged baker/gardener Isaiah Bryant: EPA

''Nate and Kate Baker'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://creazilla-store.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com/cliparts/32983/business-woman-man-clipart-xl.png alt="Kate and Nate, redheaded fraternal twins wearing suits and holding clipboards."> The Baker twins are a pair of event planners who travel around the state planning large scale festivals and parades.

''National Weather Service'' Did you know that the weather man in your town does not actually track the weather? All weather channels and weather apps get their information from the National Weather Service, which keeps track of the weather for the entire country. They have offices in all fifty states with monitors that keep track of the humidity, precipitation, temperature, and other information. They also monitor storms over the oceans to make sure that we know where hurricanes might go and how severe they will be. Click below to look at their website and learn more about what they do. (link-repeat:"National Weather Service")[(open-url:"https://www.weather.gov/education/")]

''Natural Resources'' In the game, natural resources include both the limited resources needed to run the town's various systems, like the coal needed to run a coal power plant, as well as the overall health of the environment. If your natural resources get low, you won't be able to make some choices in the game. If you hit zero, the game will end. You can increase your natural resources by supporting green businesses and organizations, investing in city parks/outdoor spaces, and switching your power to renewable, unlimited resources like solar and wind energy. Your natural resources will decrease if you depend too much on one source of energy, the parish becomes (text-style:"underline")[polluted], or the parish gets hit by a natural disaster.

(set:$naturalResources to 1)\ You wake up the next morning to a news report. The parish's natural resources have been completely depleted. The environment is collapsing, and there's no resources to run the city's infrastructure. You are forced out of office by the citizens of $parish parish. [[Play again]]

''Petition'' A petition is a formal request by members of a community to a an authority figure or governing body to change a rule, start a new project, or end an unjust policy. In order to start a petition, you just need a piece of paper describing what changes you want to see with spaces for other people to sign. You can also do this online using petition creation websites such as (link-repeat:"change.org")[https://www.change.org/about?utm_source=google_paid_g&utm_medium=twigeo&utm_campaign=us_web_gs_ua_sap_20220830_generic-sapready_conversions-sap&utm_content=us_web_gs_kw_makeapetition_x_xx_exact&utm_term=gclickid.Cj0KCQjw4s-kBhDqARIsAN-ipH36y_OsAlaYf9vWbJvixYaB-jWD62-gxy_FC0fMuRV4cfD1mtZt1xEaAuzAEALw_wcB_make%20a%20petition&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4s-kBhDqARIsAN-ipH36y_OsAlaYf9vWbJvixYaB-jWD62-gxy_FC0fMuRV4cfD1mtZt1xEaAuzAEALw_wcB]. Once you have collected a large number of signatures from the community, you can take the petition to the authority in question. They're not a guarantee that the change happens, but they really help. You do have to be over the age of 18 to sign governmental petitions, but you can always start petitions at your school as well.

''Petrochemical Plants'' Petrochemical plants are factories where people use chemicals to make things that we use in our daily lives, but they can also have some environmental risks that we need to be aware of. You know how plastic toys, water bottles, and even some clothes are made of a material called plastic? Well, that plastic is made from something called petroleum, which comes from the ground. At a petrochemical plant, workers take petroleum and different chemicals and machines to turn it into plastic. However, the process of making plastic and other petrochemical products can release harmful chemicals into the air, water, and soil. These chemicals can be dangerous to plants, animals, and humans. They can make the air we breathe and the water we drink polluted, and they can harm wildlife in the surrounding areas.

//''Ethan''// ''Gameplay Concept'' It's a pretty solid job simulator Right in the position of what a mayor would be doing Do I wanna be good? Do I wanna be rich? Gauge what's most important for you and your town Pretty realistic Serious Choices It has heart, and that heart's name is Kevin. Good, relatable story We love Kevin Diverse environmental situations Each term different from the last The characters stand out ''Look and Feel'' Calm background music Not distracting. Audio gives good ambiance The color palette is on point for a game about mayors Font and size are clear and easy to read. ''Points of Confusion'' No points of confusion ''Age Appropriateness'' It seems age appropriate ''Ending'' Satisfying ending Tear jerking "please don't leave us" ending

''Pollution'' Pollution is when the environment becomes dirty, usually due to the introduction of toxic chemicals or trash. Common types of pollution include air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution. Pollution can cause major long-term health problems for people, plants, and animals. In some cases, pollution also hurts the environment as a whole. For example, carbon dioxide air pollution from smoke and gasoline car exhaust is a leading cause of global warming, which has made the climate unstable and caused an increase in the number of major storms and other natural disasters that take place each year worldwide. According to U.S. News and World Report, Louisiana has the worst pollution out of all fifty states, although there are many organizations in the state working to help fix it.

''Public Support'' In this game, Public Support refers to how much the people living in the parish like you and support your decisions as their president. If your public support gets low, you might not win re-election at the end of the term, and if it reaches zero, the game will end. To increase your public support, prioritize the health, wellness, and happiness of your citizens. Consider investing in healthcare, recreational activities, and other amenities for them. Your public support will decrease if you break your promises, get caught lying to the people, or let problems get out of control.

''Renewable Energy'' Renewable energy is energy that does not run out over time. Examples of renewable energy include solar power, wind power, and hydroelectric power.

Greetings from Sophie the lowly DMPC intern <3 Possible Updates ✅UI Updates ✅Clarify which progress bar is which ✅Fix variable typos/errors ✅Fix passage errors ✅Text Animations ✅Add money tracking Expand scenarios/consequences

''Special Events Permits'' In addition to controlling what can be built in their parish, a mayor/parish president gets the final say about what happens on publicly owned land like parks and beaches. If you want to hold a festival, parade, or other large gathering at a public place, you have to send in plans for it and get them approved, just like you would if you were asking to host the event at a private place. This allows the parish to make sure that events are safe and environmentally friendly. It also gives the parish the opportunity to prepare in advance for the crowds and other impacts an event might have. For example, parades run on public streets, which means that bus lines and other public transit have to reroute around them. The parish government will make sure all the bus drivers know when the parades are and where to go instead.

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''Stella Winthrop'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/A_Cool_Black_Businesswoman.svg alt="Stella, a confident Black woman with her hair in a bun wearing a grey suit."> Stella Winthrop researches sustainable approaches to Louisiana public transit. She's very involved in town politics and quick to reach out when she has an idea.

''Steven Kesterson'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Meditating_Cartoon_Kid.svg/1200px-Meditating_Cartoon_Kid.svg.png alt="Steven, a little boy with sandy hair, sitting criss cross applesauce."> Steven is Kevin's six-year-old nephew, who has been sick for months. His doctors haven't been able to nail down what's wrong with him.

Storyboard Term 1 White Collar Crime Promise No > Tire Factory > Bribe > Arrested Lie > Plastic Factory > Caught Lying > Protest Promise Yes > Businesses back your opponent Term 2 Illness Build Hospital > New Doctors arrive Don't Build Hospital > Lockdown?> Economic issues Term 3 Flooding Levees > Town survives but needs to be rebuilt No Levees > Massive flooding Deforestation > Mudslides Term 4 Factory Explosion Ignore complaints > explosion Heed complains > tons of lost jobs Term 5 Community Displacement Investigate > Find that community is on landfill > Relocate Don't investigate > More Illness > The EPA finds it

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''Sulfur Dioxide'' Sulfur Dioxide is a specific type of pollution that comes from smoke and exhaust. The majority of sulfur dioxide in the air comes from coal burning power plants, although petrochemical planta also play a role.

''Sustainability'' Sustainability is when something is built in a way that it can last for years and years without using up more and more natural resources. For example, solar power is sustainable, since no matter how many solar panels we use, we are not going to run out of sunlight. Switching to sustainable options in your everyday life might mean prioritizing reusing stuff you already have, trying to make sure the stuff you buy is made to last a long time, and avoiding buying stuff you need that expires quickly and has to be replaced.

''Taylor Friedman'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/A_Casually_Cool_Cartoon_Business_Woman.svg> Dr. Taylor Friedman teaches ecology at the local community college. She also helps to run a local citizen science project that measures pollution levels around the parish.

''Tim Candel'' <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Cartoon_Guy_Presenting_A_Business_Graph.svg/640px-Cartoon_Guy_Presenting_A_Business_Graph.svg.png "Tim, an Asian man with dark hair and eyes wearing office attire, presenting on a bar graph of weather data."> Tim Candel is a travelling representative of the National Weather Service who works with the leaders of each parish on severe weather preparedness. He gets nervous and stressed out around people, so he's always happy to cut meetings short.

''Wealth'' In the game, Wealth refers to the total amount of money that your government has available, as well as the overall economic wellbeing of your parish. Wealth is crucial, since you need money to pay for important projects and handle emergencies. When your Wealth is low, you won't be able to choose some options in the game, and if it hits zero, the game will end. To increase your Wealth, invest in projects that promise to create jobs, increase business/tourism, and convince Wealthy community members and organizations to support you. You will lose Wealth if your city's projects fail, if your city is affected by disasters, or if Wealthy supporters decide to leave.

(set:$money to 1)\ You’ve run out of money! Due to the decisions you made the local government has gone broke and will shut down! In shame, you resign from your position and move away from $parish Parish. [[Play again]]

(set:$successfulTerms to it + 1)\ (if:$term is 3)[(set:$term to 0)]\ (set:$term to it + 1)\ Due to your responsible decision-making the people of $parish Parish have re-elected you for another term! (if:$successfulTerms is 3)[Due to term limits in $parish Parish, this will be your last term. Good luck!]\ (if:$successfulTerms is 3)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term")[(go-to:"Term 4")] ]\ (else-if:$term is 1)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term")[(go-to:"Term 1")] ]\ (else-if:$term is 2)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term")[(go-to:"Term 2")] ]\ (else-if:$term is 3)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term")[(go-to:"Term 3")] ]\ (link-repeat:"Restart game.")[(reload:)]\ (set:$audio to true)\ (if:$audio is true)[<audio src= "https://od.lk/s/MV8yOTYwMzQzMDFf/1.%20Cheer.mp3" autoplay>]\

''Zoning Permits'' Zoning permits give families, businesses, and other organizations permission to build projects on land within a certain city or parish. Whenever someone wants to start a construction project, they have to get their plans approved to make sure that the project is safe and won't harm the community around it. There are laws in place to make sure that cities are split up into zones appropriately, but sometimes, these laws are outdated or written unfairly. For example, wealthy communities advocate for zoning restrictions against building toxic chemical plants, factories, and landfills in their neighborhoods. Poor communities cannot afford to do the same, so the pollution ends up in their neighborhoods instead.

{(if:$Taylor is true)[<style> img { width: 230px; height: 300px;} </style> <img src=https://creazilla-store.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com/cliparts/26807/gardenvector-clipart-md.png>]} (if:$Taylor is true)[You decide to step outside. You're wondering if that neighborhood would be able to sustain a garden. You decide to call Dr. Friedman. She picks up on the first ring. "You might need to invest in composting and natural fertilizer, since the soil quality isn't great. I do think it could work if the locals committed to it, which it sounds like they will."]\ (else-if:$Tim is true)[You step outside for a minute. You're wondering if a garden would work there. You decide to talk to Tim. "What is it? Oh. I'll get back to you." Tim calls you back later. "The rain and sunlight levels should be fine. I'd go ahead and make sure you've got a way to cover them up in storms, but otherwise you're all good."]\ (else:)[You step out into the hallway to think. Kevin, with a face covered in frosting, asks you what you're thinking about. You tell him about Lilly's pitch. "That would be really cool. Me and Steven live over there, and I'm sure he'd love all that. He's a big nature lover like my brother Calvin."] Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Tell Lilly yes->Yes Garden]] [[Tell Lilly no->No Garden]]

(set:$wealth to it-10)\ (set:$publicSupport to it-10)\ <style> img { width: 230px; height: 300px;} </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Cartoon_Woman_Being_Filmed_For_A_Professional_Corporate_Video.svg/640px-Cartoon_Woman_Being_Filmed_For_A_Professional_Corporate_Video.svg.png alt="Blair, a brunette woman with tan skin, holding a microphone and talking to a film camera"> The air quality gets worse over the following week. Workers across town refuse to report into their jobs, which angers employers. (if:$solar is true)[(set:$publicSupport to it+5)\ Antoinette and her team jump into action constructing solar panel rigs all over $parish Parish. The move towards clean energy brings the citizens hope that at least it won't happen again in the future.]\ (if:$airPSA is false)[Unfortunately, on Saturday night, campers at the state park light a bonfire that spirals out of control and fills the neighborhood with smoke. They insist they had no idea it would be this bad. Kevin's brother Calvin took video of it. The fire climbed up the spanish moss and lit up the whole sky. The cleanup will take forever. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') (set:$naturalResources to it-10)\ (set:$publicSupport to it-5)\ (set:$parkFire to true)\ ]\ [[Next->Paper Snowflakes]]

You return to work about a week later. Your office is partially decorated, as if Kevin started hanging things up and gave up halfway. "I answered all your phone calls and emails for you while you were gone. Here's a list of people you need to follow up with." Kevin's acting weird, but you brush it off. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Toxic PSA]]

{(set:$coverUp to true)} You decide that it's going to be easiest just to pretend none of this ever happened. The people don't need to know. Maybe Dr. Friedman's just overreacting. Anyways, this is your last term. Soon it will be someone else's problem. You turn on the paper shredder and make the problem go away. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Out Sick]]

We offer our condolences to all individuals and families in our state impacted by environmental injustice. We hope this project helped you learn a little bit about the issues and how you can help. Of course, there is always more to learn. We highly encourage you to check out (link-repeat:"LEANweb.org")[(open-url:"leanweb.org")] for more information. In addition, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our professors, without whom this would not have been possible. (live:20s)[(go-to:"Credits")]

{(set:$publicSupport to it-35) (set:$naturalResources to it-25) (set:$wealth to it-15) (set:$closedFactory to true)} <style> img{ width: 230px; height: 300px; } </style> <img src=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Cartoon_Woman_Presenting_A_Flowchart.svg/640px-Cartoon_Woman_Presenting_A_Flowchart.svg.png alt="Dr. Friedman, an older lady with pale skin and greying hair, presenting a flow chart of scientific data."> A few months pass, and you convince yourself that everything is going to be fine. Then, it happens. You're in your office, sweating while you wait for someone to come fix the air conditioning, when Kevin stumbles into the room in a full sprint yelling "Turn on the news!" Every news channel is showing the same footage of the Lafont Tire Plant up in flames, with workers running out of every exit covering their faces and coughing. A massive plume of black smoke covers the whole sky. Then, you see Dr. Friedman. She's telling Blair Sinclair from the local news channel about how she tried to warn you that something like this might happen. You've got a feeling this next election is not going to go well... Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Election]] {(set:$Blair to true) (set:$explosion to true)}

{(set:$garden to true) (set:$wealth to it-10) (set:$publicSupport to it+20) (set:$naturalResources to it+10)} Lilly and her friends from the nearby high school immediately get to work on their new garden. Once they've put the planter boxes together, they invite the rest of their neighborhood to join in. The garden really brings their community together. They spend the whole spring tending to their little plants, and, sure enough, by the summertime they've grown plenty of little fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Lilly hosts bake sales to pay for next year's crops. Now, her neighborhood should be able to manage the garden themselves. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Election]]

{(set: $lied to false) (set: $naturalResources to it-10) (set: $publicSupport to it-10)} The coalition condemns your actions and announces to their supporters that you are not an ally to the cause. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|The next day]]

{(set: $lied to false) (set:$religious to true) (set: $naturalResources to $naturalResources+10) (set: $publicSupport to $publicSupport+20) (set:$wealth to it - 5)} The coalition thanks you and promises to support you in the coming election. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|The next day]]

Things go fairly smoothly the rest of the week, although you miss having Kevin around to keep you company. He definitely keeps things interesting around the office. You're sitting around trying to think about ways to show him you appreciate his attempt at being a good assistant when someone knocks on the door Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') {(if:$tire is true)[ [[Next.|Factory Concerns]] ] (else:)[ [[Next.|Weather Concerns]] ]}

{(set:$publicSupport to it + 25) (set:$wealth to it + 10) (set:$naturalResources to it+20) (set:$lightrail to true)} Construction takes most of the rest of the year, but by the end of the following summer, Louisiana's first all electric lightrail system is up and running. The people love it, and visitors come from all the surrounding parishes to check it out. The system quickly turns a profit and pulls $parish out of its financial slump. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Election]]

(if:$cat is true)[$catName does a pretty solid job of chasing off all the mice that were living under the cabinets in the breakroom, but you definitely still want to figure out how they got there in the first place and why. ]\ You and Kevin head into the kitchen area and start searching for any sources of food or water that might attract pests like mice and bugs. You end up finding that one of the pipes under the sink has leaked a little bit, and there's a half empty box of cake mix hidden behind a plant. As you pull it out, Kevin turns bright red. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Kevin Cake Fail]]

Dr. Friedman sends you the files and leaves as the grey sky fades to black. You know this is a delicate situation. Telling a whole community that their children have been playing in poisonous backyards could cause mass panic. At the same time, you need to act fast if you want to find a solution. You sit by the window and watch the raindrops run down the glass for hours, debating what you should do. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[I'm not sure->Toxic Advice]] [[Tell the local news->Toxic PSA]] [[Hide the evidence->Cover Up]]

You wake up the next morning feeling like somebody set your bed on fire while you were sleeping. It feels as if your body has rebelled against you. You have to call out of work for an entire week. Kevin promises to keep the place running while you're gone. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Back from Illness]]

{(set:$naturalResources to it+10)} (if:$airPollution is true)[The air finally clears up as the temperatures drop in December. ]\ (else:)[Kevin returns from his vacation all smiles. The fresh air really helped Steven, and he even caught his first fish! Kevin goes on and on about it for an hour, and while it sounds like he may not actually be as good at fishing as he thinks he is, clearly he and his nephew had fun. ]\ Before you know it, the holiday season approaches. Children from the local elementary school show up one day with tons of paper snowflakes cut out of old quizzes and hang them up all over the outside of city hall. You're excited to tell them how, on top of making the place look beautiful, reusing the paper was a great idea for the environment. Excellent work. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Stray Cat]]

''Select your parish!'' (dropdown: bind $parish,"Acadia","Allen", "Ascension","Assumption","Avoyelles","Beauregard","Bienville", "Bossier","Caddo","Calcasieu","Caldwell","Cameron","Catahoula","Claiborne","Concordia","DeSoto","East Baton Rouge","East Carroll","East Feliciana","Evangeline","Franklin","Grant","Iberia","Iberville","Jackson","Jefferson","Jefferson Davis","LaSalle","Lafayette","Lafourche","Lincoln","Livingston","Madison","Morehouse","Natchitoches","Orleans","Ouachita","Plaquemines","Pointe Coupee","Rapides","Red River","Richland","Sabine","St. Bernard","St. Charles","St. Helena","St. James","St. John The Baptist","St. Landry", "St. Martin","St. Mary","St. Tammany","Tangipahoa","Tensas", "Terrebonne","Union","Vermilion","Vernon","Washington","Webster","West Baton Rouge","West Carroll","West Feliciana","Winn") [[Next->Title Screen]]

{(set:$wealth to it+10) (set:$publicSupport to it+10) (set:$naturalResources to it+15)} You're pleasantly surprised by how much the situation at the factory changes for the better. By regulating the plant very carefully, you're able to significantly reduce the danger that it posed to the neighborhood. You pitch the environmental research project as a way for Lafont to make more money. The (text-style:"underline")[Green Economy] is the way of the future, and Lafont can get onboard or get left behind. He agrees and recruits Dr. Friedman to help build a team of scientists to figure out a way to make the rubber in Lafont tires more (text-style:"underline")[biodegradable] than his competitor's tires. It's not a perfect solution, but most citizens are in agreement that this is a reasonable compromise between tearing the place down and letting it run wild. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Election]]

{(set:$term to it + 1) (set:$publicSupport to 50) (set:$naturalResources to 50) (set:$wealth to 50)} Your success as President of $parish depends on your ability to balance City Hall's priorities: maintaining your (text-style:"underline")[public support] by preserving the area's (text-style:"underline")[natural resources] while increasing its economic (text-style:"underline")[wealth]. You can look up any underlined terms in the glossary at the bottom of the page. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>')] {(if:$successfulTerms is 3)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term.")[(go-to:"Term 4")]] (else-if:$term is 1)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term.")[(go-to:"Term 1")] ] (else-if:$term is 2)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term.")[(go-to:"Term 2")] ] (else-if:$term is 3)[(link-repeat:"Start your next term.")[(go-to:"Term 3")] ]}

{(set: $lied to true) (set: $naturalResources to $naturalResources+10) (set: $publicSupport to $publicSupport+20)} The coalition thanks you and promises to support you in the coming election. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|The next day]]

{(set:$publicSupport to 1)} Oh no! Due to your extremely low Public Support the citizens of $parish recalled you and elected a new Parish President. [[Play again]]

The rioters start chanting something. You tell Kevin to go out and get them to calm down. "No, boss. I'm not doing what you tell me anymore. That's my family. My community." {(if:$cat is true)[Kevin grabs $catName the cat and heads for the door.] (else:)[Kevin grabs his things and heads for the door.]} "The people needed to know, boss. For Steven and all the other kids like him. Shame on you." When he opens the door, you can make out the words to their chant. "No More Toxic Town!" (set:$riot to true) Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') (if:$tire is true)[ [[Next->Isaiah Visit]] ]\ (else:)[ [[Return to Title->Title Screen]] ]

{(set:$inspection to true)} You decide to call for a mid-year inspection of the plant. The plant was not due for a regular inspection until the one year mark, but Dr. Friedman's data made you feel like it was worth checking in on the place early, and it's good that you did. The working conditions inside the plant are extremely dangerous. Many employees did not have appropriate safety equipment like goggles and gloves. Handling chemicals without protective gear is completely unacceptable. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Shut down the factory.->Close the factory right away.]] [[Call Mr. Lafont.]] [[Do nothing.]]

{(set:$publicSupport to it+20) (set:$naturalResources to it+5) (set:$wealth to it+15) (set:$successFest to true)} The weeks leading up to the festival pass in a blur of planning and organizing. The event starts off with a Jack-o-Lantern Carving event. To conserve resources and make it easier to participate, all the pumpkins were emptied out in advance and used to make pumpkin pie for everyone to enjoy. Volunteers save the seeds, so they can plant more pumpkins for the future. The snack tent also offers caramel apples with wooden sticks, paper bags of candy corn, and fresh apple cider. Later, judges come in and award the winners in the costume and decoration contests, which both encouraged participants to use materials they already had at home and bring in any extra stuff to share with others. By being creative, this year's Halloween Haunt festival becomes the most (text-style:"underline")[sustainable] ever as well as one of the most popular. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Festival Kevin]]

You're left to decide what you should do all alone. Should you offer reparation money to everyone in exchange for their houses and tear the place down? Should you try to cleanup around the houses and buildings? Is it even fair for you to get to choose? Maybe the neighborhood should choose instead. You sit and sip your drink, really considering what might happen in each scenario. Ultimately, it's all up to you. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Offer reparations->Reparations]] [[Pledge to cleanup->Cleanup]] [[Call for a vote->Vote]]

Right after the election, a coalition of local religious and community leaders approaches you. They want you to publicly pledge your support to end the construction of (text-style:"underline")[petrochemical plants] in the parish to protect the environment. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Sign the pledge.|I refuse to allow more plants to be built]] [[Refuse to sign.|I plan on building more plants]] [[Lie about signing.|Pretend to support the pledge]]

{You come into office just as summer is fading. The weather has gotten nicer, and everyone feels better because of it. This year's summer hurricane season was uneventful, which comes as a massive relief. (if:$tire is true)[You celebrate your re-election with a toast to Lafont Tire, promising that it will bring wealth and prosperity to $parish Parish for years to come.] (if:$lightrail is true)[At the beginning of the term, you hold an (text-style:"underline")[inauguration] banquet, where you congratulate Stella Winthrop, who just got elected onto the town council.] (if:$unemployment is true)[You barely managed to scrape through the election. You need to find a solution to the unemployment crisis fast.] Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>')} [[Next.|Festival]]

{(set:$publicSupport to it-10) Everyone is sweating at your (text-style:"underline")[inauguration] this year. This has been the hottest summer on record in the history of $parish Parish. (if:$successfulTerms >= 0)[After a harsh winter last year, citizens are exhausted. ] (if:$winterFail is true)[The city's poor and unhoused populations haven't been able to catch a break] (if:$explosion is true)[Your opponent somehow manages to campaign so badly that your citizens re-elect you. They're giving you a chance to redeem yourself] Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>')} [[Next.->Kevin Vacation]]

{Your (text-style:"underline")[inauguration] gets rained out, which is a disappointment both for you and your loyal voters. You're hoping that it's not a bad omen. (if:$solar is true)[The solar energy plant officially opened over the summer, which really helped clear up the air in the parish. Today might not be a great day for it, but the plant produced so much power over the summer that it doesn't matter.]\ (else:)[The summer months were hazy this year. Everything was a bit grey, as if someone turned down the saturation on the world. (if:$cat is true)[You wish the only grey thing at City Hall was $catName.]\ ]\ Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>')} [[Next.->Kevin Injury]]

{(set:$publicSupport to it-30) (set:$wealth to it-35)} A few days after, you hear a commotion outside your window. You look out and see a crowd of protesters with signs. You check social media and see your name all over the news. An anonymous source told all the major news outlets in town about how you took bribes to pay for the City Hall renovations, and the people of $parish Parish are infuriated. All of your supporters demand their campaign donations back. You know that Reginald Lafont did this, but he's already skipped town in search of another community he can exploit for profit. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Election]]

{(set:$naturalResources to it -20) (set:$publicSupport to it -5) (set:$wealth to it +5) (if:$bribed is true)[(set:$wealth to it-20) (set:$naturalResources to it-5)} The repairs to city hall from the busted plumbing cost a pretty penny, but you've got the money now. You decide to celebrate your newfound fortune by renovating the whole place while you're at it. The decision splits the community. Some citizens see it as a way to demonstrate to the whole state that $parish Parish is thriving. Others see it as a waste of money.]} {(else-if:$lied is true)[(set:$publicSupport to it - 10) (set:$angryReligion to true) The public rapidly becomes frustrated by your broken promise. If you'll break this promise, what else might you be breaking promises about? The religious organizations in the city are especially angry. They set up protests outside the build site all through the winter. ] Elsewhere in the parish, dust from the construction site fills the air, and locals complain that the sound of the bulldozers keep them from getting any sleep. Your approval rating drops, but there's still a solid group of people supporting you for creating jobs for construction workers in the parish. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>')} [[Next.|Tire Factory Opening]]

{(set:$naturalResources to it -10) (set:$publicSupport to it -5) (set:$wealth to it +5) (if:$bribed is true)[(set:$wealth to it +10)] (set:$tire to true)} The tire plant opens in May as scheduled, and the problems don't get any better. Air (text-style:"underline")[pollution] in the neighborhood gets worse, to the point that a lot of people can't go outside. The plant does turn a steady profit in its first quarter. (if:$bribed is true)[Most of it lines Lafont's pockets, but you still get a pretty big check in the mail. ]\ You're hoping the money thing might keep your public support just high enough to stay in office after the election in a few weeks. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Election]]

''(text-style:"buoy")[Welcome to Toxic Town Mayor Simulator!]'' <style> img{ max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614f9538723def153552657d/1657204823660-QTMNYNZOFTL3NA6GFKQT/Warren-City-Hall-illustration-by-alex-savakis.jpg> [[Start Game->Welcome to Toxic Town!]]

You fall asleep at your desk. The next morning you decide to call for advice. {(if:$Isaiah is true)[(set:$IsaiahAdvice to true) You contact Isaiah at the (text-style:"underline")[EPA]. You ask him what he would do if, theoretically, he was in this situation. "Well, here's what I think coach. Either you go for the ball, or somebody else does, and if somebody else has got the ball, they can score on you when you're not looking... We at the EPA aren't on a team. We're just refs. We will rule in your favor if you play fair." Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Report->EPA Testing]] [[Hang Up->Cover Up]] ]} {(else-if:$Blair is true)[You decide to call Blair Sinclair personally. It's the crack of dawn, but she does the 7am news, so she's already at her usual energy level. You tell her you're not sure how to break this news. "Hm. We could claim it was an anonymous tip if you wanted, but I really think it's best for the people to hear it from you when you're ready." Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') (link-repeat:"Stay Anonymous")[(set:$anon to true) (go-to:"Toxic PSA")] [[Go public->Toxic PSA]] ]} {(else:)[Dr. Friedman picks up. "Who is it?" You can tell she doesn't usually wake up this morning, "Mayor?" You hear her groan as she stretches awake. "It is reasonable that you want to talk a bit more. Give me two and a half minutes." Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Toxic Advice 2]] ]}

{(set:$publicSupport to it+30) (set:$vote to true)} You feel like this isn't really your decision to make, at least not by yourself. This decision belongs to the people of $parish Parish. You decide to organize a poll and pledge to honor the people's choice. Community members on both sides campaign for their cause and discuss how best to manage everyone's needs. In the weeks before the vote, you invite members of the (text-style:"underline")[Gordon Plaza] community to come speak with you and other parish members, so you can learn about their experiences in the same situation. Ultimately, the vote is a landslide in favor of relocation reparations. While everyone wishes they could stay, it's safer to leave and hopefully come home in a few years after the toxic waste has been cleaned up. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next->Reparations]]

(set:$wealth to 1)\ You’ve run out of money! Due to the decisions you made the local government has gone broke and will shut down! In shame, you resign from your position and move away from $parish Parish. [[Play again]]

After a hard-fought election season, you've been elected as $parish Parish President. [[Next.->Play again]] <audio src= "https://od.lk/s/MV8yOTYwMzQzMDFf/1.%20Cheer.mp3" autoplay >

{(set:$publicSupport to it -20) (set:$wealth to it-15) (set:$naturalResources to it-10)} You seriously underestimated how bad this winter would be. Louisiana never used to go below freezing, but clearly that has changed. For a week in January, the temperature never goes above 20 degrees fahrenheit. Everyone is freezing. Two different apartment blocks burn down due to people misusing space heaters, and burst pipes around town cause multiple car crashes. The whole parish agrees that you could have handled this better. You spend the rest of the term trying to regain their trust. Only time will tell if it was enough. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Election]]

{(set:$publicSupport to it + 20) (set:$wealth to it-10)} (if:$fest is true)[You take the lessons you learned from the last festival and work with the parish council to see if you can do it even better this time. ] (else:)[Since you decided against hosting the Halloween Haunt Festival, the whole parish is psyched that there's finally going to be a big event in town. ] By the time the date of the festival rolls around, everyone in $parish Parish is buzzing with excitement. The event goes great. Activities include making scarves and hats for unhoused people, decorating stray cat shelters to look like gingerbread houses, and lots of trivia games on winter safety. Everybody learns a lot and has fun doing it. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Winter Success]]

{(set:$publicSupport to it + 10) (set:$wealth to it-5) (set:$naturalResources to it+10)} The predictions from the (text-style:"underline")[National Weather Service] were right. This ends up being the coldest winter that Louisiana has ever seen. Since your citizens were prepared in advance of the hard freeze, the damages aren't too bad. People were out of power for a couple days, but they had what they needed to keep warm. Other parishes were not so lucky. You end up devoting the rest of the term to raising money to support your neighbors who had it worse. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') [[Next.|Election]]

{(if:$term is 1)[(set:$religious to false) (set:$lied to false) (set:$bribed to false) (set:$tire to false) (set:$lightrail to false) (set:$unemployment to false) ] (if:$term is 2)[(set:$fest to false) (set:$successFest to false) (set:$failFest to false) ]} The results are in, and unfortunately you were not chosen to lead the town. Too many citizens disagreed with the decisions you made and wanted new leadership. Public Support: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $publicSupport) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Natural Resources: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $naturalResources) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') Wealth: (print: '<progress value="' + (text: $wealth) + '" min="0" max="100"></progress>') {(if:$term is 1)[(link-repeat:"Restart this term.")[(go-to:"Term 1")] ] (if:$term is 2)[(link-repeat:"Restart this term.")[(go-to:"Term 2")] ] (if:$term is 3)[(link-repeat:"Restart this term.")[(go-to:"Term 3")] ] (link-repeat:"Restart from the beginning")[(reload:)] [<audio src= "https://od.lk/s/MV8yOTYwMzQzMDRf/4.%20Boo.mp3" autoplay> (if:$term is 4)[(set:$term to 0)]}

''Story: Sophie Clark'' ''UI/UX Design: Sophie Clark'' ''Research: Sophie Clark'' ''Music: Asher Etlin'' ''Sound FX: Asher Etlin'' {(live: 15s)[(go-to:"Works Cited")]}

''Art Assets: Wikimedia Commons'' ''Survey Data: The Pew Research Center''] ''Scientific Data: The Environmental Protection Agency'' ''Inspired by: (link-repeat:"The Gordon Plaza Disaster")[(open-url:"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/11/gordon-plaza-louisiana-toxic-landfill-site")]'' All of the assets listed above are licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US">Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License</a>. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this game are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred. This project was funded by the Louisiana Environmental Action Network in conjunction with Tulane Department of Digital Media Practices. [[Return to Title->Title Screen]]

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