communication design
to stop climate change
{ design toolbox }
350.org
moving planet ‘11
11. sharing with the world-wide Moving Planet community
9. the speech
Set design snapped together perfectly (thanks Karla), and it was beautiful, informative, and photogenic. The Sierra Club’s David Graham-Caso honored me by being a featured speaker and highlighting their hugely successful Beyond Coal campaign.
One of the proudest days of my life. : )
move from bad ...
-
10.the pledge
I Pledge to Stop Climate Change by Living More Sustainably
Each of you stands in a position of power on Climate Change a hundred times a day. And your power doesn't stop there. When you live with integrity, you become a leader. By being the change you seek, and leading your family and friends, you can significantly multiply the impact of your decisions.
It's a decision — it's your decision — and it makes a difference.
-
•I trust the overwhelming scientific evidence: global warming and climate change are real, man-made, extremely urgent and dangerous.
-
•I will not be misled by denialist messages from the fossil fuel lobby and complicit politicians.
-
•I understand that because of lobbyists and denialists politicians, the United States has been and continues to be the single greatest roadblock to worldwide progress on global warming.
-
•I understand that in order to evolve America's position on global warming, a domino chain of enlightened changes needs to be kicked off.
-
•I recognize that I am the first domino. The most direct effect I can have on global warming is to evolve myself and reduce my carbon footprint.
-
•I resolve to think globally and act locally, which means I recognize the direct relationship between the global threat of climate change and the choices I make every day.
-
•I will reduce, reuse, and recycle.
-
•I understand the my everyday sustainable choices – at home and work, in school and the mall, at the grocery store and on my dinner table, and at the pump – are every bit as important and powerful as pulling the lever in the voting booth.
-
•I will attempt to live Kyoto in my home, at work, on my dinner table, at the mall and the grocery store, at the pump and on vacation.
-
•I understand that every four years I get one day to vote for a Presidential candidate and 1461 days of voting with my dollars
-
•I acknowledge that carbon emissions are a hidden cost of everything I buy. Every day, with every purchase, my dollars cast my vote for or against sustainability.
-
•With every purchase, I understand that I am responsible not only for the final product I take home, but for all the material, energy, resources, and carbon emissions that went into making, packaging, shipping, and selling it, and ultimately of recycling or disposing of it.
-
•Therefore I pledge to buy less, buy with less packaging, buy recycled, and buy recyclable.
-
•I will buy products that are better made and longer lasting, made of recycled or recyclable materials, and which can be fixed.
-
•I will fly and drive fewer miles.
-
•I will walk, bike, carpool, and take public transport more.
-
•I will buy local, buy organic, buy free range, from farmer's markets.
-
•I will eat less meat, eat grass fed, eat organic, eat free range, eat lower on the food chain.
-
•I will buy American, buy local, support businesses who are ambitiously working to reduce their carbon footprint.
-
•I recognize that the lifestyle of Americans far exceeds the world average not just in consumption but in material resources, energy use, waste products, and carbon emissions.
-
•I will vote. I realize that if I don't vote, I have no right to complain about what happens in politics.
-
•I accept that these are the efforts that each of us must make in the war against Climate Change.
-
•I am proud to choose to live sustainably. My decisions give me integrity and honor, and they model sustainable behavior for my children, my family, and my peers.
-
•Living in integrity by reducing my carbon footprint is both radical and necessary. It is the definition of good citizenship, of stewardship, and of patriotism.
This pledge is how I love my children, my family, and my country!
12. reusing the set at LA Green Festival
Thanks to my good friends and fellows at The Oaks School Green Committee, Daniela Meltzer and Karla Funderburk for taking on the challenge of getting the set reassembled on stage for the LA Green Festival. It even provided the backdrop for Bill’s own speech at the event!
2. poster design
People of all nations, working together, pushing in the same direction, can move the planet.
1. overview
After a huge first-time creative push during 350.org’s 2009 Day of Climate Action, and 2010’s 10:10:10 event, I knew 350.org’s 2011 Moving Planet campaign was my best opportunity to really step up to a new level of creative climate activism.
I threw my hat over the fence and created a Moving Planet event in Hollywood, which grew and evolved into the unofficial LA Moving Planet event in LA’s City Hall Park. I created the concept, graphics, set design, and message, and wrote and presented a 20-minute speech.
4. concept A: unshackle us from fossil fuels
My first instinct was to create a very media-visible event. Even if I rallied a thousand people at City Hall, that physical audience was nothing compared to the potential exposure of my message if I could create something with which 350.org, traditional and social media could take viral.
5. concept B: moving toward sustainable energy
Instead of a static stage event, what about rallying a march around downtown, complete with the symbolism of being “shackled” to fossil fuels, and literally striving forward toward cleaner energy. Super fun and photogenic potential for prop design and group participation. And the “moving” part not only projects 350.org’s Moving Planet masthead, but makes for better video coverage on the local news.
6. concept C: a teachable moment speech and pledge
While the dynamism of a theatric stunt felt exciting, in the end I felt deeply that my event should actually advance the cause, raise the message, teach people something. I conceived a teach-in to bring everyone in the audience up to speed on the topic, shut down the myth that climate science is a debate, illustrate how many times a day we each make choices that impact the climate and our future, and a pledge to recite as a group.
“Every day, in a hundred ways, each of us stands at a decision point. We choose either to walk through the door to fossil fuels and climate change, or open the one that leads to clean energy and sustainability. It’s your choice and it makes a difference.”
to good!
7. set design
You can get a lot of work done with a few good friends. Thank you!
8. on-site set assembly
Coordinating with City Hall was surprisingly complicated. We persevered.
3. event site — a digital rallying point and organizing tool
350.org did a masterful job creating the campaign, raising the energy, rallying traditional and social media, and creating an online event-organizer template for activist like myself to grab the reins. There were even savvy and efficient checklists, worksheets, suggestions, conference calls, and thoughtful networking tools. It is obvious that my event — and probably most others around the world — could never have happened without 350.org’s extraordinary campaign effort. Kudos, 350 : )
climate