One emerging trend in the new media that could have very good potential for enhancing ESD activities is ‘gamification’, which applies game design techniques and approaches to non-game contexts in order to encourage the adoption of certain behaviours. This approach could work well in school greening initiatives, for example, if structures were set up to award points or otherwise reinforce and incentivise waste reduction and resource conservation through student-led monitoring. Related game techniques include the awarding of points for certain activities, badges or certificates for certain accomplishments, as well as levels of achievement. The structure could be established to bring groups together, working co-operatively to implement ESD activities, or to create friendly competition between classrooms or schools. While such an approach runs the risk of trivialising sustainable behaviours, or focusing too much on superficial activity and extrinsic motivators, there could nonetheless be merit in exploring the idea further in relation to whole school ESD approaches. Working with experts outside the government system in the development of sustainability plans and policies may result in quality deliverables, but does little to build internal expertise or institutional capacity.