Sims 4 expansion pack designed to reduce eco-footprint

The pack introduces sustainability to each Sims household and encourages community involvement through a neighbourhood voting mechanism

Spotted: Climate change joins the fray with “Eco Lifestyle”,  the ninth major expansion pack for The Sims 4. Designed to limit your Sims’ environmental impact, the pack introduces some important changes to how your Sims live and interact with their local community.

The Sims 4’s Eco Lifestyle expansion pack introduces many new features, including new hairstyles (mostly “hipster” cuts and updos), furniture items, housing lots and mechanics. The most relevant, however, is the “eco-footprint” system which grades how environmentally sustainable your Sim’s house and lifestyle is. 

Sims are graded on many different types of actions, such as town-wide initiatives, the purchasing of eco-enabling technology (such as rain catchers and solar panels) or by upgrading existing electronics with eco-friendly parts.

The most important of these new actions are community initiatives known as Neighbourhood Action Plans (NAPs).  These could be cleaning up the local neighbourhood, developing new trees, decorating gardens or using sustainable resources. Implementing positive “green” initiatives allow Sims to have a direct impact on how their town looks.

Every action you perform that is categorised as “neighbourly” or “friendly” will earn you influence points. These influence points are used to vote on upcoming NAPs, which determine the development plans for a whole Sims neighbourhood.

Whilst The Sims 4 has often been criticised for feeling goalless, the neighbourhood’s Community Board adds a much-needed sense of community within your Sims game. 

Written By: Katrina Lane

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