Calgary-area Earth Day display uses comic book art to promote sustainability

Shoppers at a Calgary-area mall are getting some new perspectives on going green.

An Earth Day display is showcasing some serious subjects in a fun way.

Staff at CrossIron Mills, just north of Calgary, have opened a new Eco Hub in the mall.

The walls of the small structure are covered in comic book panels and interactive spaces.

The panels feature a cow character called Dirk Alpine.

Billed as an eco-detective, the character investigates environmentally-themed mysteries in a fun fashion.

“Sometimes with sustainability things are so hard to understand because they involve science and some pretty high-level topics, and a lot of stuff that people don’t necessarily connect with,” said CrossIron Mills marketing manager Joel Tatlow.

“And so what we’re trying to do is make this accessible and understandable to people through colourful and entertaining artwork, like comic books.”

The display is aimed at getting people to think about how they can take daily steps to help the environment.

Several local artists were involved in the project, enjoying the chance to be creative while helping to get across some important points.

“Get kids to start thinking about how we can better preserve our Earth,” artist Naomi Hoffman said.

The Eco Hub is open daily through May 3 at CrossIron Mills.