The About Us project understands how urgent it is to take direct actions to help solve the climate emergency. We are honoured to work with the About Us host cities: Paisley, Derry–Londonderry, Caernarfon, Luton and Hull councils, who have all declared a climate emergency.
The team has set up five overarching goals for sustainability on About Us:
- embed urgency
- apply circular thinking
- collaborate
- be transparent
- use inventiveness.
Carbon emissions are calculated and reduced to meet the science-based targets of the Paris Agreement, and careful considerations on resource use are in place to protect biodiversity.
Across the project’s lifespan, two primary targets have been identified: energy efficiency and no waste to landfill. For example, the outer shell of the large video screen plinths that form part of our show have been made with plastics developed with 100% UK waste by Smile Plastics (Wales-based) and with steel that can easily be recycled with no quality loss.
We have a dedicated sustainability coordinator as part of the core project team, and later in the year – when the tour has ended – About Us will publish a carbon report on the show, alongside a paper to describe our sustainability journey, with its successes and challenges, to reflect and refine future processes and projects.
We believe in the power of knowledge to create long-lasting change and so we are proud of being open with our journey towards sustainability. Any questions, please email us.
HOW CAN YOU HELP AS A VISITOR?
Carbon Emission
From our current estimations, an audience member’s impact is overwhelmingly due to how they travel to see the show – if you could share a ride or take public transport, this impact can be rapidly and exponentially reduced.
Please see guidance for this on each of our dedicated location pages.
Circular Thinking
How would you repurpose the plinths into a new object? Are you interested in being part of the conversation surrounding the after-life and legacy of the project? Get in touch by email.
Collaboration
Free events, such as bread-making and stargazing, are organised every month in all five locations, from October 2021 until May 2022! There are also free Learning Resources available here for young people of all ages. If you would like to know more about About Us collaborations or would like to be part of this, please email [email protected]
HOW CAN YOU HELP AS A BUSINESS?
Carbon Emissions
- Make public the carbon emissions reports of your products or services to enable informed supply chains
- Become energy efficient with renewable sources of power
- Propose a plan to reduce emissions wherever possible, ask to reduce, reuse, and recycle and source local manufacturers wherever possible
Circular Thinking
- Prioritise materials that are 100% recycled and 100%recyclable
- Reduce the need for any packaging and prioritise low-impact solutions
- Propose renting and take-back schemes where possible
Collaborations
- Experiment with doing things differently
- Welcome dialogue and research to monitor your business’s impact
- Discuss sustainability as early as possible with your partners
If you have any questions about the project or about how you or your business can help, please email us at [email protected]
