In discussions about the environment and climate change, there always seems to be a big question mark over the future of the planet. It’s a challenge to envision what it might look like, and what impact small, everyday actions might have; but for the team behind Endlings, the gears fuelling a creative imagination of the future are turning at top speed.
Set 20 years in the future, Endlings demonstrates some of the real consequences of environmental inaction. By watching the journey of the very last elephant on Earth and the alien who wants to save her kind, kids learn that to help endangered animals, we need to take action now – and that we are all responsible for protecting the planet we share.
Outside of the grander themes of a shared world we must all protect, the series also models environmentally conscious behaviours. The family at the heart of Endlings relies almost exclusively on reusable containers, avoiding single-use plastics and eating a vegetarian diet. Behind the scenes, Sinking Ship Entertainment has been pushing eco friendly initiatives throughout their sets and corporate offices, focusing on reducing single-use plastics, proper waste separation and limited paper use. On a corporate level, they even purchase carbon offsets for air travel.
The set of Endlings is entirely plastic water bottle free.
“The Earth is at a tipping point and we can’t afford to wait to take action,” say Endlings producers, J.J. Johnson and Blair Powers. “The kids watching our series are going to inherit this planet so it’s up to us to not only help make it better, but to give them the tools to save it.”
Fun Fact:
Endlings has partnered with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together, to raise funds to build an elephant orphanage in Zambia. The Endlings Campaign has already raised $350,000 and is still growing!
The most important message producers want to leave for kids is that there is hope. The challenges we face are large, but small actions from individuals can make a difference.
We got a sneak peek into the minds of the Endlings characters when we asked what animal or plant they’d choose to be. Here’s what they said!
Julia: “A tall maple tree turning CO2 into oxygen for the planet.”
Johnny: “Betty seems to have a pretty chill life – so maybe a cow, but only if it’s Betty.”
Tabby: “Obviously a T. Rex… or maybe a Sabre Toothed Cat. Definitely something with teeth.”
Finn: “A puppy, because they make people happy and get lots of hugs!”
Endlings can be found on CBC Gem in Canada and Hulu in the US.
Special thanks to Hulu, NDR, CBC Gem, SRC and Ontario Creates.
Visit endlings.com for more information.
