This month we’re delighted to hand our Museletter over to our contributor CJ IMay, whose work proves that magic can do more than astonish. It can inspire real change! CJ challenges us to develop our own “enviromagic” or adapt our existing routines to prepare for Earth Day 2027!
Earth Day is over. Get ready for Earth Day!
Now that the pixie dust has settled from Earth Day 2026, it is time to start preparations for Earth Day 2027. Your Earth Day.
I hereby issue my 2026 Enviromagic Challenge and offer. I challenge at least three members of the Magic & Mystery School to develop an enviromagic effect, routine or show in preparation for April 2027. This is not an “unfunded mandate.” I will be happy to work with you and up to two other members of our School to gear up as much or as little as you wish.
And we will make sure to match it to your persona, style and likely venues. No costs, consulting fees or requirements for eye of newt or wing of bat. So, what are we talkin’ about, here? Below are some options.
Effects and Routines
These are effects that lend themselves to scripting with an enviromagic theme. I have used these. But you may have many other effects which you love and which can be given an enviromagic twist. For example, there are many effects with paper and bottles that can be scripted to create wonder, inspiration and empowerment regarding recycling.
Newspaper Restoration – this can be modernized to restore something other than a newspaper. George Parker restores a map of the world – huge environmental potential.
Foiled – Tom Yurasits foil-to-can.
Bottom’s Up – Tom Burgoon’s Okito Doll effect with a plastic water bottle.
Linking Rings – endless usages for showing environmental connections.
Money Effects – flash paper, spring bills, instant paper to money, and many other money-related effects can showcase the costs of waste, the savings from recycling and the economic development potential in a circular economy.
Hot Rod – starting with six stones of blue changes the traditional multi-stone force to single color problem. It also allows a brief lesson in how our waters are home to many (change to multiple colors). Likewise, forests (of all green) are home to many.
Sands of the Desert – this is a near perfect set up for a demonstration of what a mess we make of water with pollution and what a change we can bring about when we clean up our waters.
Shows and Sets
These are shows and sets which work for me. Let us adjust them to work for you and your audiences.
Recycling is Magic – a storytelling show in which a wizard saves a town from ogres only to be tasked with cleaning up the mess.
Wizard of Basura – a show in intentionally broken Spanish (no experience necessary) which teaches the basics of recycling through effects and games.
Earth Hero Magic – the magician shares the secrets that everyone can use to be heroes for our planet by recycling, using clean energy, and protecting our waters.
The Gross & Disgusting Magic Show – making shameless use of juvenile stunts and pranks, such as eating a sandwich made with gummy works and parmesan cheese. The magician teaches a lesson on how gross stuff we litter in our neighborhoods can reach the ocean.
The Wizard of Aquilon – although this fairytale storytelling show is too tied to Cyril the Sorcerer, it can serve as a model for your own personal story.
Little Fairies, Big Magic – created for fairy festivals, a growing sector in the US, this show combines story and a number of magician-in-trouble tricks to showcase how the fairies display their anger before villagers learn to protect the forest.
Beyond Magic
Here are a few add-ons to performances that strengthen the experiences:
Tik Tok Trash – this gameshow-style activity can run 5-10 minutes. Challenging one or more participants to sort photos of recycling and trash while a clock ticks loudly promotes learning about recyclables, a key problem in all recycling programs. Children can be so tied-in to the challenge they all want to play. It can be a great hook for potential clients that might be skeptical about the educational value of a magic show.
Certificates – instead of signing autographs on photos I sign certificates documenting that young attendees have learned how they can help the planet with enviromagic. This creates a memento and may remain a key element in their path towards more environmental awareness and action.
Gigs and Clients – having worked and performed in the environmental field for decades, I can offer some suggestions on how you can expand your client base to include Earth Day events, schools, libraries, and other venues by offering enviromagic shows.
Baseline Learning – you do not need to be an environmental professional to do environmental magic shows. But getting some very basic information on a topic, by reading and by checking with professionals, is key to creating a show that is grounded in accurate information. I am very happy to provide decades of recycling experience and some other guidance on water, climate etc.
Juggling – If you get juggling balls in blue you have an instant means of discussing the importance of “not dropping the ball.” I perform my own version of “The World’s Most Dangerous Juggling Act” with globe-like juggling balls.
Guilt and Power – it is important to neither villainize “bad actors” during a show nor lay guilt on the audience for any problems they may have contributed to, e.g., not recycling properly. Instead, showcase the power we all have to do important things. People do not like to be guilted or burdened. They do like to feel powerful and heroic.
The challenge is hereby issued! I look forward to working with you to inspire our audiences to save the world.
Cyril John “CJ” May is both faculty and on-going student at Jeff McBride’s Magic & Mystery School. He received his Master’s in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment and remained on campus for more than 20 years serving as Yale’s first recycling coordinator. He now works for the City of Waterbury where his primary focus is public outreach on recycling and related issues. A key component to his outreach efforts in Waterbury is the provision of enviromagic shows to schools and events. He has received an Award of Excellence from the Linking Ring for his “Green Magic” column and was named “Recycler of the Year” by the National Recycling Coalition for his innovative use of magic for recycling education. He insists that you do not need to wear a pointy hat to perform enviromagic.
