Making Good Media
A MASSIVE ACTION Sydney project fostering positive climate action through inspirational speculative design
The problem
Current media depicting the issues of climate change commonly evokes themes that can lead to hopelessness, negativity, and inaction.
Our strategy
The team at Making Good Media proposes creating a different media view - moving away from political debates, alarming data or messages that provoke fear, guilt or notions of sacrifice. Research shows we do have solutions, such as everyone switching to electric, renewable energy, but we need everyone on board.
Our team is pioneering the creation of short, shareable media clips that use a speculative design approach (kind of like science fiction) synthesised with university research to show possible futures where everyday occurrences, such as weather updates, directly and positively impact our energy use.
Over the past two years, Making Good Media explored/asked:
- What would a TV weather report look like in a renewable energy future?
- What if every time you engaged with the media, you could improve the lives of your family, neighbours and community?
- What if charging your electric vehicle was a fun, easy, community experience?
- What if young people had the tools to make their own good media? Policymakers? Everyone?
Speculative design invites audiences to engage with the implications of technological and social change, fostering a deeper understanding of the relationship between design, society and the future.
What if we could see what irresistible, successful climate action looked like?
Speculative design helps us envision a climate-positive future by reimagining everyday experiences like weather reports. This example imagines widespread adoption of existing climate solution technology and how the media could provide everyday climate action insights.
Further into the future, perhaps renewal energies could be even more closely linked to our everyday lives through personalised weather reports that impact how we chose to generate and use electricity.
Our partner
The project is supported by the UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute. Committed to a transdisciplinary approach that fosters collaboration and drives innovation to deliver real-world impact, the Institute is a pioneering force in building a transformative research capability.
Work with us
We want to create compelling visions of and exciting and optimistic future. To design a “new normal”, founded on empowerment and positive impact.
Want to find out how you can partner with us?
Our progress
The Making Good Media video series has been featured across social media, UNSW shows and expos and at South by Southwest (SXSW) Sydney 2024.
We’re also developing an educational framework and toolkit so everyone - from young people in schools to media companies and industry - can make their own Good Media!
“One of the things we want to do next is to partner with state museums, like the Australian Museum, to create workshops for the next generation so that they can create inspiring, hopeful visions of the climate positive future. We are also looking to support government and Industry with their messaging.” - Dr Green.
Meet the team
Dr Rebecca Green leads a team of UNSW designers, directors, visual effects creators and writers. We have access to cutting-edge research within UNSW and across the academic and scientific network. We take complex problems around climate change and make them inspirational and relatable.
