We’ve been sharing social media posts each day throughout COP26 to showcase and highlight the sustainable and climate friendly work we do with schools, nurseries and communities. We have fondly remembered productions and projects that have helped us to grow and develop into the company we are today. We have also celebrated the projects we are currently involved in and we’ve looked to the future to see what’s in store for 2022.
Highlights during COP26 have been our Future Calling film shown as part of the Educational Institute of Scotland’s No Planet B Digital exhibition and National Theatre of Scotland’s Dear Planet exhibition, Emily and Ben speaking as part of a global digital ‘Campference ‘Where Nature Meets Story’, and Emily being invited to speak as part of Starcatcher’s COP26 Playspace event ‘Sustainable and Climate Sensitive Practice in Arts for Early Years’. Emily was also invited to takeover Starcatcher’s Instagram account for a day and share stories on Eco Drama’s sustainable and climate friendly practices with the wider early years sector. Here’s a round-up of our posts.
Our Green Ethos
Eco Drama has a green ethos. From the subject matter, to how the work is created and delivered. We work with eco-friendly set designers and costume makers. Our drama artists cycle to schools when possible and our productions tour in a van run on recycled vegetable oil. We also use an electric car, reducing emissions by 85%.
Campference – Where Nature Meets Story
Emily and Ben from Eco Drama were invited to speak at this online conference all about children, nature connection and the power of stories! It ran from 1st – 7th November and was run by Nurture In Nature, an Australian company which aims to connect families with nature.
Future Calling – A Message from 2050
This short film, created by Boclair Academy pupils as part of Eco Drama’s arts and climate change project, was included in the EIS Union’s No Planet B digital exhibition during COP26. VIEW FILM
Please watch this inspiring film and browse the other wonderful submissions by young people from across Scotland who have been sharing their thoughts on climate change and what we must do to avert it.
Take a look at the digital exhibition – NO PLANET B
Uprooted
Uprooted was Eco Drama’s 2015 production created with Australian set designer Tanja Beer. It featured Scotland’s first ‘Living Stage’ – a recyclable, biodegradable & edible theatre set created from locally found, reclaimed materials.
The plants on stage were grown from seed by children from 4 Glasgow schools. Once in bloom, Uprooted toured to playgrounds, venues and festivals. Audiences had the opportunity to nibble on plants, smell herbs and sample drinks made from the set.
At the end of its tour, The Living Stage was returned to one of the schools, with set pieces becoming their planters, its plants their food and its waste their compost, transforming a grey metal fenced playground area into a unique enticing play space. WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY
Out to Play
Since 2015 our Out to Play project has reached almost 6,000 children, young people, teachers and early years practitioners in Glasgow, Scotland and throughout the world!
Out to Play invites children to become explorers of their playground through drama and storytelling, developing confidence, creativity and Learning For Sustainability, deepening their connection with nature. FIND OUT MORE
Isle of Egg
The Isle of Egg was Eco Drama’s first ever production, inspired by the real Isle of Eigg and all they have done to become a green island. Launched on the island in 2009, it was an uplifting story about climate change, positive thinking and the power of community spirit. Find out more about THE ISLE OF EGG.
Green Touring
Our trusted eco van has been touring our productions all over Scotland since 2010. Run on recycled waste cooking oil from local restaurants (biodiesel), using this fuel reduces emissions by 85%. Read more about GREEN TOURING.
Recycling Heroes
Recycling Heroes is our longest running workshop motivating children to think about waste and nature in a fun, imaginative way. Led by the fearless Bag Girl, children are encouraged to find their own inner recycling hero and rid the town of the menacing Rubbish Monsters!
Orchard Planting
When did you last pick an apple straight from the tree? Have you ever tasted a Scottish heritage apple?!
Since 2011, Eco Drama has been instrumental in planting 43 school orchards across greater Glasgow with 171 Scottish heritage apple trees; varieties such as the Bloody Ploughman, Scotch Dumpling, James Grieve and Katy. We also set up and planted Townhead Community Orchard in 2013 in collaboration with the local community. It is still thriving.
The Forgotten Orchard production is key to our orchard work. Touring since 2011 in Scottish schools, theatres, harvest festivals, apple days and planting events, the show excites children and adults alike about our amazing orchard heritage in Scotland.
Schools watching the production take part in orchard training sessions delivered by Andrew Lear, aka the Appletree Man, and take away 3 Scottish heritage apple trees to get their orchard started.
In 2022 we are set to plant 15 more, plus a community orchard in Pollok!
The Worm – An Underground Adventure
Our work with early years children nurtures a sense of wonder, curiosity & care for the natural world.
The Worm – An Underground Adventure is an enchanting, musical tale celebrating the wonder of life beneath our feet. After watching the performance, as well as viewing real worms, children set up their own wormeries to compost food waste at nursery/school.
“…manages to keep its audience of tinies enthralled simply through some excellent storytelling…
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Broadway Baby
The Whirlybird
Nurturing nature connection with early years children through performance.
The Whirlybird is a funny, playful and moving piece of visual theatre for 3-7 year olds about learning to fly, encouraging one another and finding joy and inspiration in nature.
“The Whirlybird offers a joyful celebration of the richness of nature, of a kind that becomes more useful and relevant, with every passing day.” Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
“It was gentle and made the children think about birds in a deeper way.”
The Oil of Life
The Oil of Life was Eco Drama’s secondary school creative learning workshop from 2011-14, challenging learners to recognise the implications of oil usage in the 21st Century, and to re-think a sustainable future through drama, role-play and debate.
We managed to weave in a blonde wigged antagonist inspired by a certain businessman (can you guess who?!) and pupils loved to challenge this character through eloquent debate and role play.
We remain motivated by this pupils quote 💚: “If things get better I’ll know I was part of it”.
Our Hopes for the Future
We really hope to see real action after COP26, as everyone does. And for now, we continue to focus on what we can do ourselves.
What does 2022 hold for Eco Drama? We will be running more Out to Play sessions, going on tour with The Forgotten Orchard, planting 15 more school orchards across Glasgow and also a community orchard in Pollok.
We remain committed to making changes that positively affect our climate, communities and the children and young people we work with.
We hope you enjoyed the round-up of our #13DaysOfCOP posts! If you’re not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to our mailing list to receive updates about our work.
