A general template for the Humourously Captioned Photography Contest
Preparation Before starting this project with students it helps to clear the emotional ground by asking for their felt-response to litter-picking. Handled sensitively, with reference to the earthcentric and anthropocentric standpoints, any demeaning connotations will come to light and can be transformed. It is an opportunity to point out that the cultural taboo on litter-picking is part of an anthropocentric rather than an earthcentric worldview. This depth of under- standing may initially seem unnecessary. Seen as seeding part of a positive holistic mind set primed to tackle ecological problems, considered as the biggest overview attainable, our species collective positioning, our relationship to the planet, it takes discussion to a meaningful level. Ultimately, it will forward the anthropocentric/earthcentric debate.
Community partners
The heading up and development of this kind of project depends on personal contacts and the specific relationship of a school to its local community. Involve the local com- munity by approaching local businesses for prizes. This gives valuable feedback before the project is launched. People in one-to-one conversations reveal their private opinions more readily. To this day, I am still surprised at the extent of the support this compe- tition received. Initially, we thought we would have just one or perhaps two prizes. We actually were able to offer fifteen.
The remit for entries
A photograph of a child with a piece of litter found on a litter-pick. The photograph can also include an animal or a toy. The inclusion of animals and cuddly toys extends the humorous potential. Ideally, the objects used will be those found on an actual litter pick. In true creative spirit, children may spontaneously offer their ideas for humorous captions. Using two disposal bags will enable the choice between items suitable for photographs to be made on site.
Judging the competition
Outside judges are preferable. They bring a fresh eye to the competition and, if the entries are judged anonymously, ensure an independent assessment. The method the three judges of our competition used was to score the photographs on a 1 – 10 scale for a number of attributes, and then add up the totals.
Publicity
For children to lead the way in changing public perceptions feels, to me, like a big step towards empowering the younger generation to make a real difference. All adults involved become far more litter-aware and less tolerant of the general apathy surrounding this subject. Its newsworthiness is enhanced because of the deliberately introduced humour which lightens spirits and hearts, and is good for us all. Reach out to local news sources to let them know what you are doing, and ask if they would like to cover the contest before, during, or after it happens.
six and a half thousand followers of the progress of the competition, a very high number, coming in fourth behind major news events. It is testament to people secretly inter- ested, like secretive litter-pickers. Only 49 actual entries, but 6500 watchers. That is six and a half thousand people out of 28,000 living on an island a hundred miles long off the west coast of Scotland whose awareness of the litter-problem has increased. Meanwhile, I find my lone litter-picking has become a
therapy and diminishes feelings of solastalgia. When I walk on the beach, or take the peat-road onto the moorland, the litter-free landscape reinforces in me the feeling we can all make a difference. One that shows.
Ann Palmer is a former headteacher turned writer who champions earthcentric grass-roots led campaigns. She teaches occasional residential Nature Writing courses for the U.K. Field Studies Council.
Page 16 GREEN TEACHER 109 Notes
1. Sir Ken Robinson – TED talk recorded at TED2006 – How Schools Kill Creativity –
www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity 2. Two Minute Beach Clean -
beachclean.net
3. New York Zero Tolerance of Graffiti Policy –
www.newyorkdwiattorney.net/ newyorkzerotolerancelaws.html
4. Ann Palmer, article, Earthcentrism
www.resurgence.org/magazine/arti- cle3769-elements of
existence.html Ann Palmer, ebook 2015. Earthcentrism: 100 questions, 1,000 answers: a Primer in Integrated Thinking,
www.amazon.co.uk/Earthcentrism-100-Ques- tions-Answers-Primer-Integrated-Thinking-ebook/dp/B0151ZV692/
5. Jean Houston, The Possible Human (Jeremy P Tarcher/Putnam 1997)
6. Dina Glouberman, Life Choices and Life Changes through Imagework (Unwin Paperbacks 1989)
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