You’ll get an Earth Day message from an unexpected source this Saturday, April 22, at the Springfield Art Museum.
The museum is teaming up with Springfield Environmental Services to host a free, family-friendly Earth Day event from 1-5 p.m. The day includes a screening of “Toy Story 4.” Families will learn about environmental stewardship and sustainability while discovering new ways to make toys from trash.
All activities at the family-friendly Earth Day event are free.
“‘Toy Story 4’ is a perfect reminder that toys can be created from many different resources — including the recycling bin,” Laurie Davis, Environmental Services’ education outreach coordinator, said in a press release. “The message of repurposing and reusing is incorporated throughout the entire movie. Forky is a great example of creating something new and loved from something that would otherwise end up in the landfill.”
Released in 2019, “Toy Story 4” follows Woody, Buzz Lightyear and other toys as they go on a road trip with a child named Bonnie. It’s Bonnie who creates Forky, a doll made from a spork and recycled materials from her school. Forky is convinced he is trash and doesn’t fully understand his role in the world. The film, released in 2019, is rated G.
The screening of “Toy Story 4” begins at 1 p.m. in the Springfield Art Museum’s auditorium. There will also be various make-and-take toy and activity stations available until 5 p.m.
“We’re also excited that this event is taking place during the final weekend of the art museum’s All School Exhibition,” Davis said. “This will further drive home the message that creativity and use of the imagination are skills that are just as essential as any other subject area. Art can be created from a treasure trove of everyday materials and inspiration is all around us.”
The screening of “Toy Story 4” is part of Environmental Services’ “EnviroFlick” movie screening series. It’s an educational movie screening series that is aimed at spurring discussion on a variety of environmental topics. The goal of the series is to engage with the community in a new way that is fun and informative. Movie screenings provide a global perspective on a particular topic. Often a panel discussion of area experts is hosted following the movie screening, helping the community discuss local impacts and resources.
Previous EnviroFlick events have screened such films as “Wasted! The Story of Food Waste,” “Clean Bin Project,” “Bag It” and “2040: The Regeneration,” as well as family-friendly screenings of “Wall*E” and “Microplastic Madness.”
