12 Artists of Our Generation Defend the Planet

Inspired by art that challenges us to rethink our views, we asked 12 artists to respond to the statement, “Climate Change Is Not Real.”The diverse reactions were printed on 1,000 secondhand T-shirts, in advance of Earth Day to start a conversation about climate change through sustainable fashion.

From a New Yorker cartoonist to a millennial meme creator, the artists we chose for this project are some of the most inspiring and influential of our generation. We connect with them daily through our Instagram feeds. We look to them to help us make sense of our lives with their poignant and often humorous artistic expressions. And now, they are putting their passion and commitment into protecting the planet by using their voices to make a difference.

When white tees go green

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world, second only to petroleum. By printing designs on secondhand shirts instead of producing new materials, shoppers reduce their carbon, waste and water footprints by 73% per shirt.

“Giving garments a second life is at the heart of what we do at thredUP and Project re:made embodies just that,” said Jenna Bray, thredUP’s Head of Brand. “By using secondhand tees as a canvas for artists to express their beliefs, we hope to inspire environmental change and turn art into action”.

Do something about climate change

100% of net proceeds go towards the environmental non-profit Cool Effect, which provides consistent funding to carbon reduction projects across the globe, preventing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. You can check out all the details on our Terms page, if you’re interested!

Cool Effect has estimated each T-shirt sold in Project re:made reduces about 1 metric ton of carbon pollution, which is the equivalent of planting 95 trees that live for 10 years!

Cool Effect

Cool Effect works to mitigate climate change by making it easy for companies and consumers to fund greenhouse gas reducing projects around the planet. thredUP thanks Cool Effect and their team of scientists for their support, passion, and input for this project!

In addition to the net proceeds of each T-shirt sold, thredUP will also donate $1 to Cool Effect for every public Instagram post of artwork from Project re:made using #projectremade and @thredUP up to a maximum donation of $10,000, until May 11, 2018. See more here.

The Artists

Emily Blincoe, @EmilyBlincoe

A popular nature photographer who has a way with color.

“Our climate is changing and we can’t ignore that anymore. My art has always been directly inspired by nature; from plants and flowers to fruits and vegetables, to the gifts the changing seasons bring.

l am deeply passionate about protecting this magical planet so those who come after us can experience it’s magic too. I’m so proud to partner with thredUP to bring awareness to climate change this earth day and every day.”

Gemma Correll, @GemmaCorrell

A punny cartoonist in California by way of the UK.

“I create humorous takes on subjects important to me—politics, health, feminism. I am, as any rational person ought to be, concerned about climate change. More than that, I’m concerned about the attitudes towards it from the US President himself. I believe in science and evidence, like the photos of starving Polar bears struggling to survive on melting ice floes. I wanted to speak to this, with a bit of my signature punny humor added.”

Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell, @CartoonsByHilary

A New Yorker cartoonist.

“When thredUP asked me to participate I was excited because I find denying climate change to be so ridiculous that it’s really quite comical. Until you remember these people actually exist and there are more of them than I want to believe. That being said, it makes it quite easy to literally draw a comic about it, since comedy is of course born out of tragedy. Hope they get the joke before the third act.”

Tessa Forrest @Subliming.JPG

A digital designer for brands like Outdoor Voices.

“I got involved with this campaign because of the utter truth on which it stands. Climate change and global warming are factually based phenomenons—putting a simple statement on a T-shirt helps start the conversation that some might be avoiding, and also serve as a reminder to live a “greener” life. Taking a 60’s-70’s-inspired visual approach was a fun way for me to channel that energy from the start of the environmental movement.”

Julie Houts, @JooleeLoren

A J. Crew designer and fashion illustrator.

“In creating this illustration, I was trying to imagine how and why one would possibly deny the undeniable fact that climate change is happening. I came up with this: the how: willful ignorance! The why: It’s nicer to imagine it isn’t happening! I, too, would love to ride a happy polar bear to the sold out co-headlined Tupac/Elvis concert. But, unfortunately, reality, sooo.”

Beige Cardigan, @BeigeCardigan

A ubiquitous meme creator.

“I’m super excited to partner with thredUP and support Cool Effect. Partnering with environmental charities is crucial so we can ensure that our children grow up in a sustainable planet. Climate change is a serious subject, but I believe humor is a way to get people comfortable talking about the issues that matter most.”

Atticus, @AtticusPoetry

atticus

An insta-poet voted the world’s most tattooable artist.

“Growing up on the Pacific Northwest ,the outdoors was a large part of my childhood and a constant source of inspiration. When I was young, I tracked wolves in the wild doing research to protect them. Since that experience I’ve committed to helping protect their habitat. I believe nature is God’s free muse but we have to protect it.”

Mari Andrew, @ByMariAndrew

A heartfelt writer and illustrator.

“Climate change upsets me on a personal, emotional level because it affects how we will experience our beautiful world for years to come, until we cannot experience it at all. Meanwhile, the planet is crying to us and we are doing very little to alleviate its pain. I hope by expressing my own despair over the ignorance of climate change, other people will tap into their own empathy and work for a better, kinder future.”

Beth Evans, @BethDrawsThings

An “anxious blob” published illustrator

“Global warming is an issue we tend to care about for five seconds and promptly forget about. It’s more than just polar bears being affected, this impacts not only us, but the future us. And sometimes it’s just nice to take care of the planet, which has give us so much. My piece incorporates the feelings of anxiety that are a tiny bit closer to home than we’d like them to be.”

Catana Chetwynd, @CatanaComics

A romantic cartoonist with over 1M followers.

“Climate change involves every person on earth, so John and I couldn’t think of a better cause to get behind. We are excited to see other artists and fans pushing the reality of climate change. We think this is good life advice—don’t settle for a sweetie that doesn’t treat you like the world, and don’t settle for a sweetie that doesn’t treat the world right. You deserve the best, and so does the earth!”

Samantha Jayne, @QuarterLifePoetry

An “adulting” poet.

“I write poems for young adults figuring out our place in the world. It’s hard enough paying rent, but when we factor in that our collective home— our planet—is dealing with a crisis, it’s important to take notice and act. The more we educate ourselves, the faster we can make changes to stop our world from going up in flames. I’m stoked to raise awareness about climate change through art and a bit of humor.”

Dami Lee, @Dami_Lee

A relatable cartoonist and Buzzfeed vet.

“I enjoy living on Earth, and want my future kids to be able to enjoy living here. It’s hard to enjoy a balmy day in NY when you realize it’s February. Climate change is arguably the biggest threat to the planet right now, affecting humans and animals, leading to changing landscapes and natural disasters. It feels like we’re at a point where most people have gotten the message, but left it on “Read.”

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Get your hands on a one-of-a-kind Project re:made t-shirt now!

P.S. Check out the official campaign terms here!

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