Artists for the Earth
Powering Perspective: How Art Inspires Action for Our Planet
February 26, 2025
Art has the power to change the way we see ourselves and our place in the world. It can ignite movements, shift perspectives, and remind us of our shared humanity. In 1968, one photograph taken from space did just that.
As the Apollo 8 mission orbited the moon, astronaut William Anders felt a jolt of awe when he saw the Earth rising illuminated over the barren lunar landscape. He grabbed his camera, careful to use his color film, and captured Earthrise – a photo that revealed our planet as a small, fragile sphere adrift in the vastness of space. It served as a powerful reminder of our planet’s vulnerability and sparked a newfound sense of responsibility to protect it
The environmental movement was already beginning to simmer, fueled by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring which exposed the devastating effects of pesticides like DDT on ecosystems and human health. But while Silent Spring sounded the alarm, Earthrise became the moment it reached the boiling point.
From Awareness to Action
Only 18 months after that Apollo 8 photograph, activists like Denis Hayes, the founder of EARTHDAY.ORG, organized the very first Earth Day on April 22,1970 calling on Amercians people to take action in defense of the environment. The image of our precious planet Earth provided a perspective that no speech could equal or inspire in the same way – it made Earth feel both unique in all the inky blackness of the universe.
The poster for the first Earth Day drew on this sense of unity and urgency, featuring a symbol deeply rooted in American identity, the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, chosen by the Founding Fathers. But this stunning poster didn’t merely represent the United States and its chosen national emblem. It was a shocking display of the direct and very real impact of pollution as this beloved species had landed it on the endangered species list in 1967.
We have made long strides since then, notably removing the bald eagle from the endangered species list in 2007, which marked a major conservation milestone. Not to mention the widespread adoption of the very idea of clean air, clean water, habitat protection, the almost universal adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement on Earth Day 2016, which the US has only just decided to leave alongside Iran, Libya and Yemen.
But as we battle to deal with climate change, art remains a uniquely influential force in shaping perceptions and sparking action – so as EARTHDAY.ORG today reveals its official Earth Day poster by the artist Alexis Rockman highlighting renewable energy.
Earth Day is THE symbol of all that is great about the environmental movement that I grew up inspired by! Since I saw the first Earth Day poster by Robert Rauschenberg in 1970, it has always been at the top of my bucket list – doing the Earth Day 2025 poster is literally a dream come true!
Alexis Rockman, Artist
What makes imagery such a powerful tool for environmental activism, and how have different artistic strategies been used to drive action?
Visualizing Science through Art
Jill Pelto is a climate change artist who uses her platform to raise awareness by blending science with art, incorporating real climate data into her work. Her art transforms statistics and graphs into visually striking landscapes, illustrating rising temperatures, melting glaciers, and shifting ecosystems in a way that makes complex scientific trends more accessible and emotionally compelling.
“As both an artist and a science communicator, I’m empowered by interdisciplinary approaches to share environmental science with new audiences. This process involves starting dialogues with scientists about the importance of their work”- Jill Pelto
Her artwork was featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 2020 for its “One Last Chance” issue, urging immediate action towards climate protection. The piece, staying on brand with its cautionary message, depicted rising sea levels, increased global temperatures, and an uptick in CO2 emissions. But it was not all doom and gloom; Pelto’s work also noted the rise in renewable use. By incorporating both the dangers of inaction and the potential for change, her work served as a powerful call to action, emphasizing that while the climate crisis is dire, solutions are within reach.
A Cold Hard Truth
This shock factor is something that artist Olafur Eliasson and geologist Minik Rosing are familiar with, designing their work so that it is impossible to ignore. In 2018, they created a large-scale public installation called “Ice Watch”, where they carefully arranged glacial ice from Greenland’s melting glaciers and placed them in an urban landscape. They positioned 24 blocks of ice outside of Tate Modern, a London art gallery, along with six blocks of ice in front of Bloomberg HQ in London.
Their goal was to present climate change as an immediate, physical concept rather than an abstract idea. By placing the massive blocks of glacial ice in public spaces, people were able to witness the ice melting in real time.
Eliasson believes in the power of art as a uniquely inspiring source of action explaining, “Facts alone are not enough to motivate people; at times, they even create the opposite effect. We need to communicate the fact of climate change to hearts as well as heads, to emotions as well as minds.”
Photosynthesis and Photovoltaics
Many artists use their platforms not only to expose the dangers of climate change but also to inspire hope for the future, embedding activism and tangible change within their work. Artist and activist Agamemnon Otero is a powerful example of this, integrating community-driven renewable energy solutions with artistic expression.
Otero’s Energy Garden project is a pioneering initiative that transforms urban transit spaces into vibrant community gardens powered by solar panels. Launched in 2012 with the first garden at Brondesbury Park station in London, the project has expanded to 34 gardens across the city’s Overground train platforms and stations. It has also raised €1 million for solar development in England.
Art Speaks — What’s Next?
Just as Otero’s work demonstrates how communities can reclaim public spaces for sustainability, this year’s EARTHDAY.ORG’s theme “Our Power, Our Planet” emphasizes the power we have to create a cleaner, greener future through renewable energy and local action.
This message comes to life in our Earth Day 2025 poster, featuring a solar panel mirroring the sky. In the reflection are lush trees, butterflies, and the outstretched hands of an impassioned crowd, symbolizing harmony between humanity, nature, and innovation.
It’s funny to think that we had to travel 240,000 miles away from Earth to truly see its beauty and fragility. But through that perspective shift, the realization that our planet is both resilient and vulnerable, is what continues to shape the way we engage with climate action today.
Your voice has power. Join Earth Action Day and take a stand for our planet. Whether through art, advocacy, or action, every contribution fuels change. Find out how you can get involved here.
The Earth Day 2025 poster reflects this year’s theme, capturing the connection between people, nature, and renewables. If you want to bring this message into your space, the poster is available for purchase as a reminder of our shared commitment to a sustainable future. You can print your free copy here.
