A famous puppet once said, “It’s not easy being green.”
But Dawn Pape uses puppets to teach kids about climate change and make “going green” fun.
Pape: “I got the inspiration for this puppet show program because facts and fear only really get us so far, and we need joy, and we need a positive way to communicate climate solutions. And this seemed like the perfect way to educate kids and their adults.”
Pape is an environmental educator and executive director of the Minnesota-based nonprofit We All Need Food and Water.
In one of her puppet shows, she tells the story of a greedy and wasteful king.
Pape: “He realizes that his overconsumption ends up ruining his world.”
So the king — and the kids in the audience — learn some simple ways their families can live more sustainably, like buying fewer new products, walking instead of driving, or switching to clean energy.
Pape also helps the kids make sock puppets to take home so they can perform their own shows and teach friends and family what they’ve learned.
Pape: “I hope they walk away with a sense of joy and empowerment, and that their actions make a difference, and together we can solve these problems that we’re facing.”
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media