How can museum educators incorporate sustainability and environmental awareness in their practice?

Our finite planet is endowed with exhaustible resources. Humanity is already facing challenges that could jeopardize life on Earth and our own existence. Environmental problems are already here. To avoid chaos, humanity must invent a new world: creating wealth with a zero carbon footprint. A new educational paradigm, in line with the UN's millenium SDG, must take over: energy sobriety, renewable energies, recycling, biodiversity preservation, collective intelligence, cooperation, resilience, peace. It's up to new generations to build this new world, but it's up to us to show them the way. The Bee Museum - Rabat, built entirely from recycled materials and focused entirely on environmental education, shows this way to new generations.

Charity begins at home! Begin with what you have 1. Is there a conservation lab? Share about the controlled environment in lab and store room where temperature and humidity are regulated to keep objects stable 2. Are any of your objects conserved? Let your audience behind-the-scenes into what sustainability means for objects— elongating their lifespans. The ravages of time are unavoidable but it can be bypassed for a longer time by performing conservation techniques 3. Do most of your visitors buy tickets online? If yes, you are cutting down on paper use 4. Does your museum curate online exhibitions? Digital space is particularly useful in tapping into a global audience without incurring costs of an international touring exhibition abroad

Organisations and museums are social actors and therefore have a responsibility to communicate about the current reality of climate change to support mitigation and adaptation. For sustainability communications to be effective, there should be an alignment between these efforts and the wider context in which museum campaigns operate. The main aspects to focus on are knowing your audience and legitimizing what you are communicating. It is important not to lose their trust, so ensure that you showcase authenticity in your sustainable efforts and campaigns.

Museums are like mirrors reflecting society's values and priorities. Just as a museum preserves historical artifacts to educate future generations, it should also champion sustainability and environmental awareness to protect the future of our planet. By integrating these themes, museums not only align with global goals but also earn the trust and respect of the public. Imagine a museum as a garden; nurturing sustainability is akin to planting seeds that will grow into a healthier planet. Solution: Host workshops and seminars on sustainable practices and environmental responsibility. Create partnerships with ethical environmental organizations to provide up-to-date and accurate information.

Assessing your current sustainability practice is like performing a health check-up on your museum. You need to identify what's working well and what areas need improvement. Use tools like the Green Museums Self-Assessment Checklist to evaluate your operations, collections, and exhibitions. Solution: Conduct regular sustainability audits involving staff and volunteers. Use visitor feedback forms to gather insights on sustainability efforts. Make the question items short and as specific as possible. Implement suggestions from staff and visitors to enhance sustainability practices.

Digital tools are like a bridge connecting your museum to the wider world. They can make your sustainability education efforts more engaging and far-reaching. Platforms like Zoom and Google Classroom can host virtual tours and online workshops, while gamification tools like Kahoot can make learning fun and interactive. Solution: -Create virtual exhibits that focus on sustainability themes. -Use storytelling platforms like Twine to create interactive narratives about environmental issues. -Share your sustainability initiatives on social media to reach a broader audience. **Contact me to see how we can develop an augmented reality tour in and around the museum.**

Don't underestimate the importance of mapping the local and international concerning ecological and ecomuseological institutions to partner with them. Having a minimum literacy on the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) environmental social governance (ESG) is a must for that purpose.