“We cannot create what we can’t imagine.”
― Lucile Clifton
Creative responses to the climate crisis can play such a vital role in how we respond to the climate crisis. The main purpose of this newsletter is to share, celebrate, and encourage such responses. My hope is that these stories will inspire audiences to take the reality of the climate crisis to heart and work for climate justice. Each person’s approach to climate justice will be unique, but in many cases, it starts with a story, song, or other work of art that inspires them to learn more and take action.
With that said, let’s explore some creative climate news. This week, we’ll be talking about climate fiction, climate music, climate art, and climate podcasts.
Climate Fiction
Climate fiction offers readers an opportunity to interact with the implications of climate science, and the realities of the climate crisis, in the context of a compelling fictional narrative.
Some of those implications and realities are dire. Therefore, it’s not surprising that so many (most?) works of fiction about climate change to date include at least some grim, and even dystopian, elements. Cautionary tales about where the climate crisis will lead us if we don’t act now to change course have their place in climate fiction.
However, that approach can easily be overdone. Focusing exclusively on apocalyptic visions of the climate crisis may convince some readers that doomsday is inevitable, thus encouraging inaction and distracting from narratives centered on solutions and the struggle for climate justice.
My emphasis in Creative Climate is sharing climate fiction that speaks to climate solutions and climate justice. These narratives are significantly underrepresented in the climate fiction I’ve found so far. I would love to do anything I can to spread the word about the examples of this approach that do exist and encourage the creation of more solutions-centered and justice-centered climate fiction. If you have any leads, let me know.
Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors
Grist is launching a climate fiction contest called Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors! I’ve been turning to Grist for environmental news and commentary, often with a sense of humor, for about twenty years now. I’m excited to see that their new solutions lab, Fix, has decided to encourage solutions-oriented and justice-oriented takes on climate fiction by hosting a contest with those themes.
One of the most important aspects of this contest is its emphasis on climate solutions and climate justice:
Imagine 2200 draws inspiration from Afrofuturism, as well as Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, disabled, feminist, and queer futures, and the genres of hopepunk and solarpunk. We especially want to see — and share — stories that center climate solutions from the most impacted communities and bring into focus what a truly just, regenerative future could look like.
I’ve been glad to see a handful of climate-themed fiction contests springing up over the past few years, but I’m especially excited by the framing of this contest. Whether you’re a reader or an author considering submitting a story, this is definitely an exciting project. I look forward to submitting a story and eventually reading the resulting anthology.
More Climate Fiction
Climate Music
Music speaks to audiences in a unique way. Some people who have little interest in climate fiction or creative climate nonfiction may find themselves drawn in by a particularly catchy or compelling song about the climate crisis.
I haven’t heard that many published songs yet that focus primarily or entirely on the climate crisis and climate justice. I have heard some, though. I’m confident that there are many more out there. I’m currently in the process of collecting all of the ones that I’ve already heard and finding more to enjoy and share. If you have any tips, let me know.
Young People Marching
Raffi Cavoukian, award-winning children’s singer/songwriter, has also written songs about the climate crisis.
For years, like so many people, I knew Raffi as the man behind the “Baby Beluga” song. I used to sing that song to my daughter as a lullaby with the words “Baby Bedelia.” I was excited to discover recently that Raffi is also an ecological advocate. He has a collection of several recent songs about the climate crisis and a Raffi Foundation for Child Honoring that takes a children-first approach to healing communities and restoring ecosystems. He has also released a retrospective video compilation of “Earth Songs” featuring fourteen ecologically-themed songs from throughout his career,
Young People Marching is Raffi’s song about Greta Thunberg and other youth climate strikers. Cool It is a call for climate action. Do We Love Enough speaks to the connection between our love for children and the green actions we can take for the sake of children and future generations.
More Climate Music
Climate Art
Most of my own creative responses to the climate crisis have centered around the written word. However, as an appreciator of the arts in general, I enjoy seeing and experiencing other art forms too.
I’ve come across climate-themed art in various contexts. I’m currently in the process of gathering information about examples I’ve already seen and new ones suggested to me by readers. If you have any tips about climate art that you’d like to see highlighted in this newsletter, let me know.
The Tempestry Project
The Tempestry Project blends fiber art with temperature data to create a bridge between global climate and our own personal experiences through knitted or crocheted temperature tapestries, or “Tempestries.” Each Tempestry represents the daily high temperature for a given year and location, January at the bottom and December at the top (think bar graphs!), all using the same yarn colors and temperature ranges (see the Tempestry Project site for details).
I don’t remember where I first heard about the Tempestry Project, but I learned much more about it on a great episode of the Warm Regards podcast. It’s a fascinating project that exists at the intersection of fiber art, scientific data, and climate communication. Some people are drawn in by just one of those threads. But in the end, each Tempestry serves as a creative blend of all three elements, along with the personal experiences of participants and the local history incorporated into each Tempestry.
Glaciogenic Art
Glaciogenic Art by artist Jill Pelto communicates scientific research through art with an emphasis on climate change data. This art often includes data points and lines from scientific charts directly in the painting. One of her paintings, Currents, appeared on the cover of July 2020 Climate issue of Time.
I also learned about this art project on an episode of the Warm Regards podcast. Glaciogenic Art really caught my attention because of its prominent incorporation of actual data points and lines directly in the paintings. When I see climate data charts, my climate vision (a term coined by Mary Annaïse Heglar) brings the real-world implications of that data to mind in a very visceral way. I automatically envision how that data will play out in my local surroundings and the broader world. But most audiences don’t seem to respond that strongly to a sterile climate data chart. Glaciogenic Art does a wonderful job of taking those charts and using earthy and evocative depictions of plants, animals, and landscapes to reveal some of the real-world implications of the charts. I feel like her art grants a glimpse of climate vision to people who otherwise may not experience it.
Prints of Pelto’s art are available at Glaciogenic Art on Etsy.
More Climate Art
I’m an author, not an artist, so I’m sure I’m missing out on many art projects that incorporate climate themes. I’d love to learn about them and share them with Climate Creative readers. If you have any good leads, please let me know.
Climate Podcasts
It’s time to talk about more climate podcasts! I’m spending several weeks highlighting some of my favorites.
Do you listen to any climate podcasts? If you don’t see your favorites here, let me know. I want to list as many climate podcasts as possible so that as many audiences as possible can find the one that’s right for them.
Warm Regards
Warm Regards is a podcast about life on a warming planet. The show is hosted by Jacquelyn Gill, a paleoecologist at the University of Maine, and Ramesh Laungani, a biologist at Doane University. Their conversations are often honest and raw, as they talk with newsmakers, researchers, activists, policymakers, artists, and others as they push past the graphs and the headlines to get at the heart of what it means to live and work in a warming world.
I was first drawn to this podcast by the science angle. I’m not a scientist, but I’m a lifelong science enthusiast. I love learning more about scientific research, particularly anything with a climate tie-in. However, I’ve been delighted to hear them explore the intersection between the sciences and humanities in their current season. Their “Data” season focuses on the often unexpected human stories behind climate data, from how it's collected to what we do with it. It includes references to music, art, and other creative responses to the climate crisis.
Think 100%: The Coolest Show
The Coolest Show on Climate Change, from the Hip Hop Caucus’Think 100% project, introduces you to the climate leaders you didn’t know you need to know. They share breaking news, captivating stories, and dispel false narratives about communities of color and the climate movement.
This was the first podcast that I listened to that placed an emphasis on the intersections between racial justice, economic justice, and climate justice. They continue to address those themes in new and exciting ways with each new episode.
More Climate Podcasts
Coming Next Week
Thank you for reading Creative Climate! Here’s a sneak peek at a few topics we’ll be exploring next week.
Solarpunk Fiction
Climate Music
Climate Podcasts
And Beyond!
Next week is also the big week when paying subscribers (and gift subscribers) will receive their first bonus short story and poem! If you haven’t subscribed yet, subscribe now so you won’t miss out. Be sure to tell your friends too!
About Creative Climate
Creative Climate is a newsletter created by me, Treesong. I’m a father, husband, author, talk radio host, and Real-Life Superhero living in Southern Illinois, USA. I’ve spent most of the past twenty years or so looking for creative ways to advocate for environmental justice and climate justice. You can learn more about my writing and superhero adventures on my website, treesong.org.
If you like Creative Climate, please tell your friends! I have no advertising budget for this newsletter, so people only hear about it through word of mouth. The more subscribers we get, the better the newsletter will be, especially in terms of discussion among subscribers and bonus content for paid subscribers.
If you have ideas for future issues, let me know! Email me at creativeclimate@treesong.org with your suggestions. In the meantime, thanks for reading Creative Climate!