Size matters not: Part 1
Being a designer has never been easy; not if you take the responsibility seriously anyway. But being a designer — let’s face it, just being a person — on a planet that is undergoing a climate crisis is even harder. A designer’s job can be complicated and stressful even without thinking about climate change, and, I know that maybe for some people reading this, the anxiety that comes with thinking about climate change is too much to process along with all the other things you need to worry about—and I understand that. It’s overwhelming for me too, but it doesn’t mean we don’t have the agency or ability to make a change to better the climate if and when we choose to act.
The good news is that we need to reexamine how we define “change” and this series will do just that. We have been conditioned to think that anything short of becoming the next Alexandria Villaseñor or Greta Thunberg isn’t doing enough and that is not a healthy — or realistic — idea of what effective change really is. If we don’t think we can make a change, we will burn out easily or potentially never even try. This series is about taking a look at what constitutes real change and enabling all of us to be activists in any way that we can.
A big thanks for the inspiration for this series goes to Sarah Jacquette Ray and her incredible book A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety because it has been a breath of fresh air for me as I navigate my own journey as a climate designer looking to make their effort count. I also would like to acknowledge that I know that jobs are at a premium right now and that in a pandemic we have to do what we can to live and pay our bills*; in the end, living to fight another day is better than dying on a hill of our own making. We can lighten the burden that we feel by realizing that we have the ability and power to make a real, tangible, important, and unique impact on climate action right now and that the baseline for effective action does not start at changing the world or launching a foundation, a non-profit, or a startup; it’s starts in our own actions, our own communities, and our own mind.
There is no action too small
This series is about starting small; it is the small actions that we can do every day that are the best and most effective actions that we can take in the effort to address climate change. We might find that we never progress beyond those small actions and that is more than just okay, it’s completely normal. Remember as we go that small is sustainable; we can’t fight anything if we are battling our own fatigue or self-doubt about the task we’ve set in front of ourselves. We’ll look at the projects of designers just like you who have used skills just like yours to start something new, something manageable, something authentic and we’ll hear what their goals and successes are. These are the types of actions we should be celebrating more often. We need more spotlights, on more people, doing small things that touch the lives of the people around them in meaningful ways.
Working small and setting realistic goals, in community with others doing the same, is the renewable energy that we need to stay in this struggle. Remember that “to burn out trying to resist a system that is fueled by burning things out is not resistance.”** We have to believe in ourselves and each other in order to be effective activists and we have to remember to celebrate the achievements that are often overlooked if we are ever going to change the paradigm about what “effective change” actually is. After all, you can’t have a city-wide climate march if someone doesn’t go to city hall to do the unglamorous job of asking for a permit. You don’t get a circular packaging system if someone doesn’t research materials and processes. Big things can’t happen without the small ones.
I know there is a lot that you want to do to make this world a better place. And whether you start now, or when you can, don’t start big, don’t do it alone, and remember to trust your abilities. So, believe in yourself—I know that I believe in you.
So, call to (small) action time
What actions can you take—or what ones are you taking or supporting—to use your abilities as designers to make a unique difference? Let me give you this quote from Eric Holthaus to motivate you: “This moment in history needs you. Knowing what you can personally do is easier than it seems. You already know what issues you’re passionate about. You already know what kinds of things you’re good at. Where those overlap is where you should devote the rest of your life.” (The Future Earth, pgs. 203-204, emphasis mine) Have a project or idea that you’re thinking of? Let us know. We’ll check back in every few months on this to share your projects here. In the next post of this intro to the series, we’ll tackle some ideas for social media.
*I would know. As of this writing, I’m currently working overnights stocking shelves at one of those big box stores. Don’t let your paycheck define you or box you in or make you think you’re too small to make a difference.
**A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety, pg. 41
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Perspective is a gift and with each new perspective the Field Guides get better.
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Matt McGillvray
Matt is a designer and illustrator living near Portland, Maine, and has been working for more than a decade doing branding, illustration, web design, print design, social media posts, and even a little SEO.
When not designing he’s usually reading, writing, or running. His current big writing project is a book about design and climate change. He is a chronic teller of puns and will not apologize for that.