Category Archives:Activism

21
Jan

Art Activism: I art as I act, and I act as I art

Art Activism: Work by Asher Jay

Artist Asher Jay talks about art activism and how she's using her creativity to change the world.

Confession: I am a big fan of my friend Asher Jay's art activism. I've written about her work before:

Jay recently gave a talk at TEDxVailWomen about art activism, what inspires her, and creative conservation. She talks about her own journey to art activism through pain and grief, and it's incredibly inspiring.

As artists and crafters, we have so much power to effect change. We can do that by choosing sustainable materials and by creating works that effect positive change. Asher Jay's work in the world of art activism is a wonderful example of how you can use your creativity to make a difference. I admire her work so much, and I loved getting to know her even better through her TED Talk.

You can check it out right here:

"Art empowers me to act in this world."

Amen, sister!

I also love what she has to say about bad design. Products like single-use plastic bottles represent the worst of bad design. Asher uses art activism to shine a light on areas where we are consumers can change our habits to make a powerful impact on the world.

What inspires you to get active? Asher can point to one salient moment: the BP oil spill. Was there a moment like that in your life?

Image Credit: Screenshot from video

Posted:   |   Categories: Activism, Art, art activism, Asher Jay, craftivism, DIY, Innovation
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21
Jan

Art Activism: I art as I act, and I act as I art

Art Activism: Work by Asher Jay

Artist Asher Jay talks about art activism and how she's using her creativity to change the world.

Confession: I am a big fan of my friend Asher Jay's art activism. I've written about her work before:

Jay recently gave a talk at TEDxVailWomen about art activism, what inspires her, and creative conservation. She talks about her own journey to art activism through pain and grief, and it's incredibly inspiring.

As artists and crafters, we have so much power to effect change. We can do that by choosing sustainable materials and by creating works that effect positive change. Asher Jay's work in the world of art activism is a wonderful example of how you can use your creativity to make a difference. I admire her work so much, and I loved getting to know her even better through her TED Talk.

You can check it out right here:

"Art empowers me to act in this world."

Amen, sister!

I also love what she has to say about bad design. Products like single-use plastic bottles represent the worst of bad design. Asher uses art activism to shine a light on areas where we are consumers can change our habits to make a powerful impact on the world.

What inspires you to get active? Asher can point to one salient moment: the BP oil spill. Was there a moment like that in your life?

Image Credit: Screenshot from video

Posted:   |   Categories: Activism, Art, art activism, Asher Jay, craftivism, DIY, Innovation
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22
Apr

Earth Day: The Never-Ending Fight To Save Our Planet

mother earth tree

Happy Earth Day greenUPGRADER readers!!

Can you believe this day of earth-friendly behavior and learning has been around for 43 years? It's hard to imagine there was a time, not so long ago, when people knew almost nothing about chemical pesticides and industrial plants were free to dump their waste directly into lakes and rivers.

Thanks to the hard work of Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, and millions who share his passion for a healthier planet, we've come a long way since then. Although we might not always like how well they're enforced, laws like the Clean Air and Water Acts ensure that we have at least some recourse against those who would treat our only planet like a landfill.

Sometimes, fighting to protect the natural world can feel like a losing battle. For those who believe we are meant to be stewards of this marvelous blue marble, it's important to remember how far we've come, how much has been achieved. Browse the infographic below for interesting facts and figures from the first Earth Day until now.

And then do your best to get outside today...enjoy the beauty of this amazing place we call home! Feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Breathe some fresh air. It'll help remind you why we're fighting so hard to save it.

Earth Day graphic produced by the Kars4Kids car donation program

Top image via alicepopkorn/Flickr

Posted:   |   Categories: Activism, conservation, Earth Day, infographic, Kars4Kids, Living, Mother Earth, News+Opinion, Pollution
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21
Apr

Earth Day: Challenge To Live A Mindful LIfe

k4k earth day header

Happy Earth Day CrispGreen Readers!!

This Earth-centric holiday has been around for 43 years, and we've come a long way since the very first Earth Day gathering. Now this day of environmental learning and action is celebrated in 192 countries around the world, inspiring millions to consider their impact on our world.

Like most things in this world, Earth Day has become highly commercialized. Every company and organization uses it as a way to promote their product line or agenda, while in reality their actions do harm to the planet they claim to care about. The true challenge of Earth Day is to live a mindful life every day of the year.

Sure, we could have posted a round-up of green gadgets or cool technologies that utilize clean energy, but this Earth Day, we decided to avoid consumption all together. We can't buy our way out of the mess our planet's in. Instead, let's reflect on how far we've come, and how far we have yet to go in our quest to leave this planet to our grand children in inhabitable shape.

Let's think about meaningful actions we can take to reduce waste and be an example of planetary stewards in our every day life. Let's be the change we want, instead of just talking about it. How did you celebrate Earth Day? Tell us in a comment.

Earth Day graphic produced by the Kars4Kids car donation program

Posted:   |   Categories: Activism, Gadgets, holidays, infographic, News, Pollution
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