A World of Good - DIY Exhibition Resource

ENVIRONMENT
DIY EXHIBITION PACK

Before the industrial revolution, people generally lived in
harmony with the land, seas and sky. We didn’t take
more from the planet than it could afford and we didn’t
produce more rubbish than the environment could
absorb.
Then the population grew. We figured out new ways to
get more resources out of the land and invented
machines to produce things on a much bigger scale. The
world was busy and exciting, but the factories and
industry spewed out more and more rubbish and
pollution. The air became dirty, rivers and seas became
polluted and plants and animals began to suffer.

THIS LAND
IS OUR LAND
Back in the 1800s, Charles Waterton
was one of the first people to really
worry about the side effects of
industrialisation. Charles loved
nature. He climbed trees
barefoot to get close to birds
in his own garden in Wakefield.
When he noticed species
disappearing, he built a wall
five miles long around his land,
creating the world’s first nature
reserve.
When a factory started polluting
the habitat, he fought them in
court and had the factory
relocated.
This booklet is full of ideas for things you can do right
now to keep our green places happy and protect the
whole planet. We also hope you will make an
exhibition to share your ideas and creations.

LOVE WHERE WE LIVE
The large, grn, red headed wd pecker, this
beautiful bird has returned d goes to bed
every night (I mysлf tch him) wh thr
f∈e shr nes. C.W.
Charles
Waterton was
amazed by the plants and
creatures he saw on his world
travels, but he was equally excited
by the woodpecker in his garden and the
badgers in his woods. Any small green space
can be an expedition into the unknown, full
of wild species doing incredible things to
survive.
In the 19th century, naturalism was a very
popular hobby. People studied the natural
world, learning the names and behavoiur of
the different plants and animals. hey didn’t
need a lot of equipment, just curiosity and
the patience to watch and learn from the
world around us.
You don’t have to climb trees barefoot like
Waterton. Why not tune in to a webcam with
a nice cup of hot chocolate, or scatter some
seed outside your window and see who turns
For Your Exhibition : What plants, birds or animals
would you like to see living in your neighbourhood? Create
animal free taxidermy by sculpting a creature out of fabric,
decoupage, clay or scrap materials.

Be a Researcher
How has the
environment
changed over
the years? Maybe
you know someone
who has been around
a long time who you can
ask. They might remember
whether there was more
wildlife around or whether there used to be less
concrete. Maybe the air is cleaner now. They might
even have photographs or objects you could borrow.
Be a Victorian Naturalist
Pack a bag with kit and provisions and go somewhere
green. Think about how you can record what you
discover. Could you take some photographs? Maybe
you could write a poem that describes the
smells, sights and sounds of this place, or
I had the tufted duck d the
pochard here, much earlier th
i have ever sn them. The hers
have bred plнtifully.
C.W,
how it makes you feel. Victorian
naturalists would often use a
sketchbook to paint or take
notes in the field. They might
also take bark rubbings
or keep a diary.
Remember :
Do not move anything that’s alive
and take your rubbish home with you.
For Your
Exhibition

THINK GLOBALLY,
ACT LOCALLY
Take a moment to imagine the world you’d like to live in. What
problems would you solve? What new things or species would you
introduce in your neighbourhood?
Every one of us has the power to make a difference, to things like
global warming, loss of species and plastic pollution. Write a
pledge, what action will you take to spread positive change into
the world? Could you drive less and walk more? What plastics are
essential and which ones could you do without?
If we keep up the work Waterton started, we can help the planet to
recover and create beautiful neighourhoods full of colour and life
at the same time.
When you think about your local environment, what three
changes would you like to see and what three things do you want
to protect and make sure they stay the same?
3 changes 3 protects
My Pledge:

T A
K
E
A C T I ON
Charles Waterton was not afraid to ruffle a few feathers. His
nature reserve was very close to a soap factory. Charles
was worried that the chemicals produced would poison the
water around the reserve. The factory owner promised not
to let any chemicals escape into the rivers, but when they
broke that promise, Charles was ready to take action.
He took the soap factory to court for polluting the nature
reserve and eventually, the whole factory moved to a
different location. He also campaigned for the protection of
Heath Common using posters and letters to the press.
Heath Common remains a conservation area to this day.
Ruffle Some Feathers. We are
stronger together. Can you
organise a campaign, a celebration
or a task force? Perhaps you could
arrange a litter pick or a community picnic. You
could create a poster or petition to raise awareness.
Don’t forget to save images, souvenirs, press cuttings
and banners for your exhibition.
For Your
Exhibition

PEOPLE POWER
There are loads of things you can do to have a
positive impact on your neighbourhood and your
planet. Here are some ideas!
Recycle
Use less plastic
Craftivism
Listen for birds
Rewild your garden
Swap seeds
Love insects
Get an allotment
Feed birds
Walk more
Eat less meat
Buy fewer clothes
Composting
Cycle more
Grow vegetables
Make a bug hotel
Avoid harmful chemicals
Build a hedgehog home
How many can you tick off already?

WAKEFIELD
NATIONAL PARK
Search an online map for a satellite view of Wakefield. The
town looks pretty grey, but zoom in on your neighbourhood
and you will see lots of little pieces of green; verges,
gardens, school fields and more.
Even the tiniest patch of green is habitat for plants and
creatures. If we added all these green fragments together,
we might have enough for a Wakefield National Park!
Complete the grid
Allotments
School Field
Cemetery
Anglers Park
Bird Feeder
Your Garden
Verge
The Nearest Tree
To Your House
Window Box

What places would
you include in
Wakefield National
Park?
Why not plant
something and
help make
Wakefield
greener
For Your
Exhibition
#DoAWorldOfGood
Make a map showing all the green
places that are special to you. It could
be digital, 2D or 3D sculpture. You could find an
old map and embellish that. You could use paint,
crayons, embroidery, minecraft, papier mache, collage
or construction toys. You could use things from the
garden or forest floor. It could be perfectly to scale or
more impressionistic.

BUILDING YOUR
DIY EXHIBITION
Now you have lots of things to go in your exhibition,
you need to decide how to display them.
Should it be a physical exhibition or an online one?
(You can use social media to curate your exhibition.
Don’t forget to use the hashtag #DoAWorldOfGood)
For inspiration visit Wakefield Museums A World of
Good exhibition to supercharge ideas for your
exhibition
Will your exhibition be ordered or freestyle?
Will you choose a colour scheme?
Do any of your exhibits need a label
to explain what they are?

How much room do you have? You could use a
piece of wall, upcycle a bookcase, create a
window display or make a very tiny display
inside a box. Look online or visit Wakefield
museum for more ideas.
Launch Your Exhibition : Throw a
Party. A launch party is fun and also gives you
the chance to invite people to see your hard
work. You can send out invites, get snacks and
drinks and give a tour of your exhibition on the
day. If a few people have created a window
display in your neighbourhood, you could arrange
a walking trail to go and see them all. You could
even have a street party to celebrate them all.