Let’s Change Culture: Design Your Environmental Action Plan

Course Overview:

This course is tailored for creative professionals seeking to develop useful connections and integrate sustainable practices into their work and lifestyle. Participants will explore the intersection of creativity and environmental stewardship, learning how to assess their environmental impact, adopt eco-friendly techniques, and develop personalised action plans. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on activities, and collaborative discussions, participants will gain the knowledge and skills needed to become agents of positive change in their creative fields.

Location: Positive Light Projects, Sidwell Street, Exeter

Course times: Tuesdays, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Course dates: 7 weeks (1 module a week) - 28 Jan, 4 Feb, 11 Feb, 25 Feb, 4 Mar, 11 Mar, 18 Mar

Price Range: £210 - £280

(Please note that we will cancel the course a fortnight ahead if we don’t have sufficient numbers of participants - Participants will receive a full refund.)

Features: Live talks, personalised feedback, extensive materials, guest speakers, and project-based learning.

Enrolment: Open to creative professionals of all backgrounds and experience levels.

Prerequisites: None, but a passion for creativity and environmental sustainability is encouraged.


Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand Environmental Impact: Gain insight into the environmental impact of creative industries and the importance of sustainability in creative practices.

  2. Explore Sustainable Techniques: Discover eco-friendly materials, processes, and techniques applicable to various creative disciplines.

  3. Assess Personal Impact: Conduct an environmental audit to evaluate your own creative practices and identify areas for improvement.

  4. Develop an Action Plan: Design a customised environmental action plan with clear goals, strategies, and timelines.

  5. Promote Sustainable Creativity: Learn how to advocate for sustainability within your industry and inspire others to adopt green practices.

Course Structure:

The course consists of six modules, each focusing on key aspects of designing and implementing an environmental action plan for creatives:

Module 1: Introduction to Sustainable Creativity

    • Overview of sustainability challenges and questions in creative industries

    • Case studies of socially an environmentally engaged artists and designers in South West England

    • Introduction to the concept of environmental action plans

Module 2: Sustainable Materials and Processes

    • Exploring eco-friendly materials and production methods

    • Techniques for reducing waste and minimising environmental impact

    • Balancing sustainability with other challenges like accessibility, inclusivity, costs

    • Innovations in sustainable design and manufacturing

Module 3: Environmental Audit

    • Conducting a personal environmental audit of your creative practice

    • Analysing resource consumption, travel, waste generation, and carbon footprints

    • Identifying areas for improvement and setting priorities

Module 4: Designing Your Action Plan

    • Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals

    • Developing strategies and initiatives to achieve sustainability objectives

    • Allocating resources and defining responsibilities for implementation

Module 5: Implementation and Monitoring

    • Implementing your action plan and tracking progress

    • Overcoming challenges and adapting strategies as needed

    • Monitoring key performance indicators and measuring success

Module 6: Advocacy and Collaboration

    • Using your creative platform to raise awareness about environmental issues

    • Collaborating with peers, clients, and stakeholders to promote sustainable practices

    • Showcasing sustainable projects and initiatives to inspire others

Module 7: Communicating and Celebrating action and successes

    • Telling your climate action story

    • Stakeholder engagement

    • Reporting

Course Format:

  • Delivery: In person interactive workshops, and group discussions.

  • Assignments: Creative projects, reflective journaling, and collaborative initiatives.

  • Resources: Readings, videos, and guest speakers.

  • Community: Networking opportunities.

Course Materials:

  • Textbooks: Reading suggestions will be shared ahead of the course

  • Supplementary Readings: Selected articles and case studies on sustainable creativity and environmental action planning.

  • Tools Required: Environmental audit templates, creativity journals, access to online resources.


Course leader:

  • Name: Chloe Uden 

  • Email: chloe@artandenergy.org

  • Biography: Chloe Uden is an influential artist and environmental advocate known for her innovative approach to integrating creativity with sustainability. She has dedicated her career to exploring the intersection of art, renewable energy, and community engagement. With a background in both the arts and renewables, Chloe has successfully spearheaded numerous projects that highlight the potential of creative solutions to address climate change.

    As a co-founder of The Art and Energy Collective, Chloe has played a pivotal role in developing and promoting solar art installations, which combine solar technology with artistic design to create functional and aesthetically pleasing renewable energy sources. Her work aims to inspire people to think differently about energy production and to see the beauty and potential in sustainable practices.

    The Art and Energy Collective specialises in designing mass-participation artworks that seek inspiration from nature and help people engage with energy systems that affect their lives. Their ‘Moths to Flame’ project won The Sustainability First People’s Choice Art Prize and involved over 58,000 people in making an artwork for COP26 The UN Conference on Climate Change. Their current artwork The Mossy Carpet seeks to celebrate the tiny actions that people take to make a better world and explore ‘How to Bury the Giant’ using carbon sequestration and nature positive action.

    Chloe Uden is also known for her engaging workshops and public speaking engagements, where she shares her passion for combining art with environmental activism. Through her efforts, she has been instrumental in raising awareness about the importance of renewable energy and the role of creativity in solving environmental challenges. Her innovative projects and community-driven approach continue to inspire individuals and organisations to embrace sustainability and creativity in their daily lives.


Additional Information:

  • Organisation Website: www.artandenergy.org

  • Discussion Forum: Access through the course website for peer interaction and support on https://BuryTheGiant.Club

  • Resource Center: Online repository of supplementary materials and tools for project development is available for course participants.

Summary:

By the end of this course, participants will have developed a comprehensive environmental action plan tailored to their creative practices, equipped with the knowledge and skills to lead sustainable initiatives within their industries. This course encourages creative professionals to embrace sustainability as an integral part of their work, fostering a culture of green innovation and responsible stewardship.


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