Rosie the Recycler? Posters Aim to Halt Climate Change

With her bulging biceps, perfectly applied mascara, and "don't mess with me" look, Rosie the Riveter—the girl next door who could build a tank and totally beat you up—was a cultural icon of World War II, encouraging women to take to the factories and help their country. In the fight against climate change, the Canary Project is looking for a similarly powerful image to motivate us to act in eco-conscious ways. The Green Patriot Posters project is commissioning posters from artists that address the small things ordinary citizens can do to halt climate change. So, will we soon see images of Rosie the Recycler? Charlotte the CFL Bulb-Changer? Brandon the Bicycle Commuter?

The Green Patriot Posters project is beginning its campaign with a series of bus posters in Cleveland, Ohio, designed by local artist Michael Beirut. As the title implies, they address the tie between loving your planet and loving your country. The sides of the Cleveland buses read: "This bus is an assault vehicle in the fight against global warming. Be a green patriot," with a green silhouette of a rifle-toting Revolutionary War minuteman. More posters will roll out in selected cities in the upcoming months, and the project also plans to sponsor an online competition for amateurs to submit their own posters in September.

Looking through the site's gallery of WWII posters, it's striking how many of them are applicable to today. Victory garden planters are the locavores of the '40s, and a poster asking "Is your trip necessary?" is the predecessor to the staycation.

I've written before about the influence of green public art—whether visual or cinematic—and these tactics have certainly worked in the past. Normal Rockwell posters helped convince citizens to collect scrap metal, conserve fuel, and purchase war bonds. However, public transportation riders in the '40s didn't have Blackberries or iPods or the other distractions we utilize precisely to tune out everything around us on our commutes each morning, so the Green Patriot Posters project has some bigger hurdles to overcome.

When the posters go up, will anyone notice?

For More Fresh Greens:
Wear Business Casual, Stop Climate Change
Should All Public Art be Green?
Fiji Water Chimes In on Bottled Versus Tap

For More from U.S. News & World Report:
10 Great Outdoorsy Places to Retire
3 Gurus of Green Ponder Energy's Future
Toxic Consequences of the Green Revolution

Follow Maura Judkis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/freshgreens

Comments

[MGhamma]

All we need now is a comment from ohiomarkimark to put an exclamation point to this ignorance orgy.

[noneIn2008]

I don't know if I want a halt to climate change. I kind of enjoy the 4 seasons.

[Michale32086]

I'll be HAPPY to live by the standards that Al Gore proposes when AL GORE starts living by the standards that Al Gore proposes...

Michale.....

[mlaiuppa]

When are those PV panels going on your roof? Don't hire Borrego Solar.

What do you drive? My Prius gets 48 mpg average.

Changed all those lamps to CFL?

Thought not.

[Michale32086]

You assume much, grasshopper...

Yes, every light in our house is CFL.

Prius?? PV Panels?? Who do you think I am, Al Gore?? I don't have that kind of money.

Which is exactly my point.

Al Gore raised $300 million dollars. You know what for? For an AD CAMPAIGN to raise public awareness.

Get that?? $300 MILLION dollars! Do you know how many homes could be equipped with a solar power system for that money?? Approx 30 THOUSAND homes!! That's a small city worth of homes that could be completely converted to solar power..

Do you know how many Priuses (Priusii??) can be purchased for $300 million dollares and used in a trade-in program?? 15 THOUSAND!! Get 15 THOUSAND gas guzzling, pollution causing cars off the road..

But nooooooooo Al Gore would rather spend $300 million to make Ad Companies, lawyers, lobbyists and Al Gore richer...

It has been estimated that over 50 BILLION (yes, with a B) has been spent on so-called HUMAN Caused Climate Change.. And NONE of that has actually gone to programs that MIGHT do some good...

Al Gore seems to think that the time for debate has past. OK, I don't agree, but OK... The time for talking is past. It's now time for ACTION...

Yet, Al Gore wants to spend $300 million SOLELY FOR MORE TALKING!!

You tell me.. Where is the logic in that??

Michale.....

[NL207]

How can human action prevent what human action is not entirely responsible for?

This: http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2006/2005GL025539.shtml

says that 45-50% of the warming observed in the last centiury was caused by the sun. Rosie the Recycler is not going to affect the behavior of the sun one iota.