Eco footprint

Eco Footprint

Game mechanic · Featured in:

Eco Footprint

Eco Footprint Mode on the Map. This showcases each neighborhood's eco footprint stage.

Eco Footprint is introduced in The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle. Eco footprint is the pollution levels of the separate neighborhoods in every world except StrangerVille, Plumbob Pictures, Sixam and destination worlds. There are three levels of pollution: green, neutral, and industrial; each can be seen from the world map by toggling the "Eco Footprint Mode."

Evergreen Harbor starts off with each neighborhood on each three different levels of pollution, and almost every other world's lots and neighborhoods start off as neutral. The exception to this are park lots, which are green, and Tomarang, where all lots and neighborhoods start off as green.

Pollution levels

Green

Green is the pinnacle of a healthy environment, with sunshine rays appearing during the day and auroras appearing during the night. Grims Quarry is by default in green, and benefits from having much more foliage, healthier looking surroundings, and a much more eco-friendly neighborhood. Sims will breathe deeply in a clean air environment, gaining the "Clean Air" (Happy +1) moodlet.

Neutral

Neutral is the default pollution level for every neighborhood in each world, except for park lots and two of the other neighborhoods in Evergreen Harbor. Neutral pollution is the in-between, where the environment around the neighborhood doesn't suffer from negative effects of pollution. However, it can also be improved through the use of neighborhood action plans.

Industrial

Industrial is the depths of an unhealthy environment. Smog clouds the neighborhood, foliage appears less healthy, and trash appears everywhere. Port Promise is by default industrial and, due to pollution, Sims in the neighborhood suffer from random coughs and gain the "Gross Air" (Uncomfortable +1) moodlet. Fires are more likely to occur in this pollution level.

Making a change

Sims can manipulate their eco footprint and help or worsen their neighborhood's environmental health through multiple ways.

Household eco footprint

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Every object in build mode has a tiny effect over surrounding eco footprint which can be multiplied by other houses in the neighborhood. Roofing, walls, and flooring all constitute towards either green or industrial.

Special objects that govern power and water can highly effect eco footprint:

• Solar Panels - Solar panels can be purchased to generate power from the sun, this is entirely free of negative effects on the eco footprint.
• Wind Turbines - Wind turbines can be purchased to generate power from the wind, this is entirely free of negative effects on the eco footprint.
• Dew Collectors - Dew collectors can be purchased to collect condensation and water droplets in the air, this is entirely free of negative effects on eco footprint.
• Household Power Generators - Generators can be purchased to generate power, however, due to their usage of oil, it will cause pollution towards industrial. If Sims have a composter for insects, they can generate natural oil for the generator as a green alternative.
• Atmospheric Water Generators - Water pumps can be purchased to generate water, however, due to the method of extraction, it will cause pollution towards industrial.
• Power Cells and H₂O Siphoners - Sims can install fuel cells and H₂O Siphoners on certain objects to make them independent from the grid, however, the usage of oil and other industrial components causes indirect pollution. Like the former items, they can use biofuel as a green alternative.

Neighborhood action plan

Sims can participate in neighborhood action plans in order to get the community work together on projects to help benefit the environment.

Seasons

With Seasons installed, the eco footprint has extra effects with weather. While the weather doesn't affect pollution or the eco footprint, it does add an additional weather for Sims to experience: when in the Industrial stage of the eco footprint, whenever it rains there will be Acid Rain. Acid rain behaves like normal rain except it is a putrid green color as well as will exceedingly make Sims in the rain dirtier and rapidly drop their hygiene need.

Seasonal weather also can affect green energy sources and water generators, for instance:

• Windy days will make Wind Turbines generate more power.
• Cloudy days will make the Solar Panels work less effeciently.
• Rainy days will make Dew Collectors generate more water.