Accidentally Eco: The Sustainability of 'Wednesday' and Nevermore

Welcome to Nevermore Academy. The vibes are eerie and mysterious, the students are supernatural (but still very much teenagers), and the old-world atmosphere lends to several accidentally eco moments.

Whether you're a longtime fan of The Addams Family or Tim Burton's reinterpretation is also your introduction, Wednesday has infiltrated the pop culture scene in a major way. Who doesn't love a harmless opportunity to tap into their dark side?

Since its inception as a comic strip

in the early 1980s, The Addams Family has provided tongue-in-cheek commentary on the nuclear family, modern life, and society's at times ridiculous refusal to see what's right in front of them.

Though Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Uncle Fester live an opulent life, it's decidedly old-school, with outfits almost uniformly reworn, electricity largely avoided, and simple, family-friendly activities—think Gomez and Morticia's tango, or Wednesday and Pugsley's "Is There a God?"—over television or tech.

Which brings us back to Nevermore. With all of the spookiness due to a school for the supernatural, the academy finds its students—Wednesday in particular—making accidentally eco moves inspired by her family's similar lifestyle.

Wednesday Addams' braids may be her most iconic trait—plus, they're an environmentally friendly choice. Relying on a

heatless hairstyle makes for less electrical waste and healthier hair, and the choice fits neatly into Wednesday's pared-down approach to modern life.

Wednesday is a master

minimalist. While her roommate Enid Sinclair favors color and girlish frills, Wednesday prefers to keep things simple, adorning her space with only the essentials (cello, lamp, typewriter, disembodied hand companion).

The stark contrast in space serves to highlight Wednesday's dark tendencies but also pulls the amount of

stuff

associated with contemporary living into welcome focus. (To be fair, Enid is a DIY queen, which we'll get to later.)

Wednesday isn't a huge fan of technology and the

waste that comes with it. In addition to rooms lit sparingly by single-bulb lamps or candles (an inherited Addams family trait), Wednesday (and Thing) opt to tap up notes and school assignments on a typewriter, saving up to

75 kWh of power per year. Students of Nevermore, take note!

Nevermore's plant conservancy (run by Marilyn Thornhill, aka Christina Ricci, aka our '90s Wednesday) is home to a selection of

carnivorous plants and unique blooms. Along with being the correct amount of menacing, carnivorous plants serve as a natural means of

potted pest control, feeding on

spiders, flies, gnats, and more.

The snoods! As a visible marker of friendship, Enid crochets matching snoods (or cowls) for her and Wednesday, each in the character's signature shade. The onscreen move is sparking a trend in the real world, too, with fans sharing

patterns and tips for recreating the cute and cozy piece. After all, crafty, DIY items make for the ultimate accidentally eco gifts.