Enviromagic

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Originally appears in the Fall 2021 issue.

By Cyril John “CJ” May

Teaching students about complex environmental issues is so challenging that I use an unusual and ancient tool: magic. How I began this unusual adventure in environmental education starts with the world’s most famous wizard: Harry Potter.

During the Harry Potter craze of the early 21^st century, I regained a childhood interest in magic of all sorts, including that of magicians. I met magician Jim Sisti and was gratified that we became friends and Jim began teaching me some magic. But the day he truly changed my life was the day he asked “CJ, what do you do?” When I responded that I was the recycling coordinator for Yale University he got a twinkle in his eye and commented, “well, if you like recycling, you are really going to like this.” He began picking up newspaper clippings from his coffee table. Once he had them all, he simply shook out and spread his hands, showing that the old scraps had been transformed into a completely restored newspaper.

I was dumbfounded by this miracle, but also inspired. In a matter of moments, Jim had demonstrated the power of a “trick” to teach a truth about the real-world “magic” of recycling. Both magic and recycling can transform old into new. 

With the help of Jim, and his wife Sandy, I created “Recycling is Magic: a story of monsters, magic and too much trash”. I still perform this show as well as a host of others on issues such as water, energy, climate change, household hazardous waste, and even wilderness conservation to audiences of all ages.