Stories for a Sustainable Future

We often focus on the carbon footprint: the physical impact of production activities on the environment. But what about our cultural footprint - how effectively are we shifting perceptions, sparking dialogue and motivating action?

The Action on Screen Spectrum

Climate change is the story of our time and it's being told right now, in small moments and blockbuster events. Storytellers have a nearly limitless menu of options for how to put the planet on screen. The storytelling potential is enormous around climate change or any of the other (of the many) environmental crises facing us today.
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Development.
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In the world of film and television, stories have the power to be so much more than mere entertainment. The good news is, doing so is simpler than you might think. The key is to start early in your development process and get into the habit of considering the environmental impacts of your film, as soon as you start putting words on the page. Filmmakers have to get good at viewing their creative plans through a scheduling or budget lens, and sustainaibilty is another filter through which to view your development process.

‍From casual integrations to explicit narratives.

Whether your goal is to explicitly address climate themes, or whether your story is about something else entirely, sustainability messages and values can be part of your creative storytelling.
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Planet-friendly behaviours and norms can be casually integrated into nearly every story in a way that doesn’t have to be preachy or obvious. (We love the saying: “hide the broccoli”!)

By weaving in subtle shifts, sustainable themes and showcasing positive choices, any screen-story can nourish audiences with impactful content without sacrificing the entertainment they crave. Casual integrations are subtle, background and incidental ways of putting the planet on screen that reinforces sustainability without taking centre stage, and includes elements such as:

World Building
Incidental Dialogue
Background actions and business
Character choices and actions
Props, vehicles, wardrobe, product placement, etc

On the "explicit" side of the spectrum, sustainability storylines can also appear as "B" or "C" storylines (smaller storylines that aren't part of the main plot) within an otherwise non-climate program. And of course, some films - from dystopian fiction to documentaries - are intended to be explicitly about an environmental issue from day one.

As you consider how the planet can show up on your screen, can you start with the "do-no-harm" mentality when it comes to the planet? Isn't it time to stop allowing single-use plastics on screen, or glamourizing over-consumption and throw-away-culture?

Top Tips: Climate Content

Have likeable characters model sustainable behaviours and show sustainable solutions as positive status symbols.
Encourage writers to include sustainability themes in storylines, characters and the world of the story.
Include a section dedicated to sustainability goals and practices in pitches.
Review scripts with an eye to reducing environmental impact.
Consider post-viewing supports and resources to increase the likelihood of influencing pro-environmental behaviour.
Provide resources, training or access to expert consultants to development teams to help them incorporate sustainability in content.
Avoid showing, unless necessary, unsustainable behaviours and practices.
Improve climate literacy by informing audiences about climate science, climate risks or climate solutions.

Climate Justice

Climate justice acknowledges that those who contribute the least to climate change often suffer its worst consequences and seeks to address the impacts to vulnerable and marginalized communities. Climate justice issues present multiple opportunities for storytellers to accurately reflect the unequal impacts of climate change and focus on impacts relevant to specific communities.

Indigenous peoples have long had earth-friendly practices as a core element to their culture. In Canada, they lead the way in environmental stewardship and conservation. The tradition of the Medicine Wheel offers a framework for the circle of life and how people and nature are interconnected. Indigenous communities have also faced the eradication of their sustainable practices alongside the loss of their land and are now disproportionately impacted by climate change in Canada.

When viewed through a climate justice and indigenous reconciliation perspective, being a climate storyteller can can take on greater meaning; storytellers are teachers, working in collaboration with nature, tradition and communities to enhance our lives and those of future generations, and advocating for regenerative economic systems that allow everyone to thrive and enjoy the advantages of clean air, water and land for generations to come.

Further reading

Snackable Sustainability

Stories have the power to be so much more than mere entertainment, but how do we ensure our content serves up more than just empty calories?