Kidderminster College MAS Lab joins the Wyre Forest Green Alliance Art 4 Planet Earth in presenting an exhibition to increase awareness of our ecological problems with climate change challenges.

Head Curator at MAS Lab, Kevyn Gammond says:

“Throughout the week we aim to inspire and invite you to join us daily with live performances, alongside the display of visual arts, deal with the climate future myriad issues, exemplified by the work of KC staff, students and an array of artist speakers from the community. All will provide an overview on climate emergency and how our everyday activities shape our future. Also, at this time, addressing the COP 26 climate change conference taking place in Glasgow.”

The first thing you will likely notice when entering KC is a large “GROWBOT” which flashes warning messages and has the first UK built-in Climate Clock put together for KC “GROWBOT” by the Greta Thurnberg Climate research Institute. The “GROWBOT” has inspired students and staff create a Cosmic Garden floral sculptures that transform the colours, patterns and life-cycles of our plants and flowers to remind us to keep adapting to the ‘new normal’.

Students worked with the local community to create floral garden sculptures and art exhibitions. There were also talks from a variety of speakers about the importance of climate change and what we as individuals can do.

Kidderminster College Principal Cat Lewis explains: "Kidderminster College and NCG remains committed to playing our part in tackling this important issue and as you will know, we recently unveiled our Environmental Strategy, which seeks to embed this commitment in everything we do as a Group.

"This means we have been able to take a no holds barred look at our environmental outputs and consider how we change what we do in order to achieve our vision to become the most sustainable college group in the UK.

"We have already (among other things) set about:

 

  • Reducing gas and electricity emissions by 50%
  • Reducing staff and student travel emissions by 50%
  • Reducing water usage by 10%
  • Sending no waste at all to landfill
  • Reducing food waste by 50%

"We are only just getting started and there is much, much more to do. MAS Lab’s Take Action: No Plan, No Planet exhibition has provided examples of how we as individuals can make small changes to make a big difference in tackling climate change. Thank you to Kevyn (pictured) and the rest of MAS Lab team for helping highlight these issues and being ahead of the curve."