10 Days of Climate Action

10 Days of Climate Action is an initiative of the Human Impacts Institute to bring together artists, musicians and performers to install climate-inspired public works throughout New York City. In an effort to inspire New Yorkers to think more critically about our actions and their impacts, each day of 10 Days of Climate Action will present a climate theme and a creatively engage the public in positive action around issues of climate change.
10 Days of Climate Action 2012:
Human Impacts Climate Carnival

This year's 10 Days of Climate Action marked the smash debut of HII's Climate Carnival: a full day of climate themed activities held at the East River State Park in Brooklyn, NY. Hosted by your favorite climate carnival-dwellers, the climate carnival included all of the following: UnsustainaBOWLING with Bozone the Clown, Climate Future Tarot Readings with Madame Climate, Natural Disaster Twister with Floody Mary and Melanie the HII Superwoman, Climate Parade with Drew the Clown, Tara the Ring Leader and Mimi the Mime, and Climate Wheels of Fate Trivia Game with Belinda the Bearded Lady.
The [Climate] Revolution Begins Within
A Performance on Climate and Personal Reflection

Mai Ueda participates in the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action with a meditative performance on climate impacts and the human spirit. Dressed in a mirrored kimono, her silent tea ceremonies are a metaphor to a reflection of our environment, inside and out. Through deliberate movements and traditions, Mai invites audience members to contemplate how love and compassion, tolerance, contentment, a sense of responsibility, and a sense of harmony can be powerful forces of change and happiness.
Pixelations of Nature
An Installation on Climate and Technology

Anthony Heinz May joins the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action with sculptural installations that utilize recycled natural waste to transform tree parts into patterns reminiscent of digital imagery. The resulting “pixelation” of nature explores the inundation of our communities by technology. Anthony’s pieces engage viewers in connecting the use of technology to climate change impacts; Electronics dominate the cityscape and many of our homes. Through the rearrangement of natural forms, Anthony is creating visual metaphors of the affects of climate variability on the environment.
Tree Huggers
An Installation on Climate and Greenwashing

Tilton Widro joins the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action with an outdoor installation that explores how environmentalism is used as marketing strategy. Tree Huggers uses Pepsi Co.’s subsidiary, Frito Lay and their SunChips “ biodegradable bags” to question the validity of their eco claim. As installed, Tree Huggers are bands of discarded SunChips bags wrapped around trees to challenge passers-by to question if marketing claims are really “green” or doing what consumers want. The result? A piece that blankets the natural world in garbage.
To Which Season Does It Belong?
A Performance on Food, Desire, and Climate

Laura Mega joins the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action with a performance that reminds us how immense amounts of greenhouse gas emissions come from producing and processing food, contributing greatly to climate change. In her startling performance, Mega surgically “works” on wounds that are inflicted to nature, removing the internal areas of fruits and vegetables and then sewing them up with stitches using surgical thread. The performance reflects upon how vegetables and fruits are forced to grow artificially outside their original climate or due to human desire, forcing the memory of the product linked to the land to be erased.
Nothing Is Disposable
An Interactive Installation on Consumerism and Climate Impacts

Susan Allbert’s work for the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action makes the connection between climate and consumerism, through the exploration of the impacts of a daily activity—eating. Her interactive tablecloth sets the stage for the audience to explore how our consumption choices impact the climate and our communities. Scattered amongst printed images of food garbage are embroidered QR codes, which take the viewer to a website environmental issues linked to the image is discussed in more depth. By juxtaposing vivid, brightly-colored images of food refuse with the potentially devastating impacts of our habits on our communities, Allbert gets us to think twice about “grabbing lunch”.
Green Culture Cycling Tour
An Exploration of Climate Action in NYC

Green Map System will join the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action with a two-wheeled adventure to explore what’s being done to forestall climate change around the Lower East Side. Participants should bring their bikes and be ready to carry a colorful message that draws attention to the issues on this interactive tour. Get a fresh perspective as you explore sustainability and social innovation sites on the NYC Green Map, including eco-cultural resources, solar energy, community gardens, green and collaborative enterprises as well as greenways.
"Resourcing Move" Reimagining Slick Move
An Interactive Performance on Oil Addiction and Climate

Open Skeye Collective brings their innovative energy to the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action with an interactive multi-disciplinary performance piece on oil addiction and climate. As dancers perform to live music, covered in oil-like substance, viewers will be invited to purify the dancers. With this piece, Open Skeye confronts oil addiction and ignorance or complacency around the grave effects of pollution. As viewers willingly make the choice to purify dancers, the piece calls to question our sense of personal responsibility and the consequences of our actions.
School Evacuation
A Performance of Vulnerability and Climate

For the second year, Josephine Decker brings her creativity to the Human Impacts Institute’s 10 Days of Climate Action with a stunning performance of vulnerability and climate impacts. “School Evacuation” is equal parts provocative and curious, aiming to inspire questions alongside enchantment – and serving as a reminder that the species we affect are as unique and vulnerable as children.

The performance is a ‘school’ of fish – 15 children and 5 adults wearing fish masks and 1940’s attire -- who flee the ocean’s murky, uninhabitable depths by emerging from the East River and plunging into Dumbo. They move horribly slowly, as if through mud. While some of the younger kids take the evacuation lightly – continuing their games of Jacob’s Ladder or catch – the elder youth and the adults placate them but know that nothing easy lays ahead.

Check Out Last Year's 10 Days of Climate

WOW: Check Out This Year's Climate Judges!
Don’t miss the climate competition this year as participating artists compete for $1000 in prizes.

Brice Lalonde was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as Executive Coordinator for Rio+ 20 in 1 January 2011. Prior to this, he served as French Ambassador for climate change negotiations of France, French Minister for the Environment, Chairman of the Round Table for Sustainable Development at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and Senior Adviser for the Environment to the French Government. In addition, he held the position of Director of the Paris office of the Institute for a European Environment Policy. Mr. Lalonde graduated from the Sorbonne University with a degree in classics and law.

Lana Wilson curates the film programs, co-curates the dance programs, and handles all publications for Performa, New York’s leading visual performing art organization. Lana is also a filmmaker currently directing and producing the feature documentary After Tiller, as well as a freelance book and publications editor. As a dancer, Lana has performed with Aki Sasamoto, Michael Bodel, and Lily Skove (SkoveWorks), among others. She holds a BA in Film Studies and Dance from Wesleyan University, where she graduated with honors.

Michael Nieling is a designer, educator, and father. He is the Creative Director at Ocupop and also teaches logo design at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD). With a focus on technology and sustainability, his prolific creative output and boundless enthusiasm for design discourse has influenced major brands, causes, and individuals worldwide. Splitting time between Hawaii, Colorado, and Wisconsin, if he’s not on an airplane, he’s likely somewhere shouting about design.

Amy Braunschweiger is the Web Communications Manager for Human Rights Watch, where she is responsible for the organization's electronic newsletter communications, and helps oversee its website and social media. Previously, Amy worked as a freelance journalist, her articles appearing in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York and Village Voice, among other publications. She also served as a financial reporter for Dow Jones, covering stocks and the stock market. Amy has received the Congress-Bundestag scholarship and the Arthur F. Burns fellowship for journalists, and has also served on the advisory board for the nonprofit, Vietnam Relief Effort.