INTERVIEW: Make Our Planet Safe Again
If the climate can change, why can’t we? New York City resident, Alison, explains how her skill set and passion helped her launch this punny fundraiser!
Actions speak louder than words, and Ink campaign creator, Alison, is an example of just that! After one of the most wild, jaw-dropping, and engaging elections in our country’s history, Alison quickly realized that a lot can be done with a t-shirt. In fact, it is the perfect conversation starter, especially when the conversation involves the future of our planet.
So, in an effort to counteract the government’s resilience towards environmental issues, she strategically designed a t-shirt as part of her brilliant movement to “make our planet safe again”. The catchy slogan is more than a pun off the newly elected office — it’s a direct response to the decline of sustainability acts we’re seeing daily. Her t-shirt is a fundraiser, but it’s also a billboard challenging those who fail to view climate change as a real problem.
The hand-stenciled design was created by her sister, Sue Lund, in New Zealand. It was brought to life in NYC, where Alison currently resides. Then, the t-shirt was printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and shipped where climate change exists…ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Most recently, the beautiful artwork was spotted at the Peoples Climate March in Washington D.C. Alison and her clan of change-makers marched to fight those who were ignoring the evidence-based knowledge, uniting in a celebration of science. Along with nearly 200,000 other passionate individuals, she marched and wore her t-shirt proudly. Prior to that, these one-of-a-kind tees were spotted at some of the most breathtaking national parks in the world. From Yellowstone National Park to Alaska’s Denali National Park — it was a #MOPSA takeover.
At Ink, we’re motivated by the passionate individuals we have the pleasure of working with daily. They have the potential to raise money and more than that, create awareness for a cause — we’re thrilled to help them every step of the way. That’s because we believe t-shirts are capable of empowering movements and uniting supporters. We love when we find our users do too. So when we meet an eager change-maker like Alison, we wonder, what sparked this wave of activism?
We caught up with the New Zealand native to learn more about her journey across the world and philanthropic ambition. Here is her story:
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a musician living in NYC — originally from New Zealand. I play classical piano, sing in many different styles (jazz for the last couple of years, but I feel a Bluegrass phase coming on), and spend a lot of time wrangling children and pianos. I feel so lucky to live in the city I love, doing what I do best, AND having the opportunity to go home every Summer to what many consider to be the most beautiful country in the world! If only I could move Manhattan and New Zealand a little closer together…
Living in the concrete jungle, it’s imperative for me to get out into nature as much as I can. My main hobby is backpacking (or just hiking), and my favorite place in the whole world is the High Sierra. My latest project is taking training classes to raise a Guide Dog Puppy — I’m so excited about that! I also enjoy boxing training (can’t actually fight due to precious piano hands), gardening, creating stuff in general, writing (check out my blog!), and, most recently, hanging out with like-minded people trying to do something positive and helpful in the face of our New Political Reality. Which brings us to the t-shirts…
What drove you to create a campaign?
I didn’t have a political bone in my body until last year’s election- like many people, I found the whole thing deeply upsetting. I got involved with canvassing for Hillary (say what you will about her, I think she’s amazing), and discovered a whole new world of people who care deeply about something AND are doing something about it. I bought a campaign t-shirt, and was very surprised at how direct people were in their reactions- some friendships haven’t recovered, while other new ones have been made from chance encounters. More than that, when the election was lost, I didn’t want to take it off ever again, and wore it under my regular shirts like a secret super-hero costume for an entire week. Who knew that the message and identity personified in a shirt could come to mean so much?
When the time came to rally and actually do something, I was determined that the most effective thing I could do was focus on one issue, and align myself with a major organization which would make the most of every penny I could donate or raise. I am personally very invested in protecting the health of our environment, wilderness in particular. I also considered which of my abilities might be most effective in my efforts — I love creative collaborations, and have quite a lot of experience in the nitty-gritty of brand development, promo, and general small business skills. Utilizing my creative friendships to create something artistic, and then throwing myself into marketing it, made a t-shirt campaign a natural fit.
What does the t-shirt design and message mean to you?
The message, “Make Our Planet Safe Again,” is a pun on Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” It also reads well as a non-political message, AND makes an awesome acronym… #MOPSA. The brains behind the slogan should be accredited to marketing guru and my awesome new friend via the shirt project, Stephanie Snyder!
That being said, I wanted something people might wear for the Climate March in particular, but also long beyond that because it is an inherently awesome piece of clothing.
The design was created by my amazing sister-in-law, Sue Lund. She stenciled the design elements, and collaborated with a graphics friend on the composition and specs. I wanted something that reflected the opposite of an impersonal, corporate feel — something beautiful and creative for its own sake, just like nature herself.
Where are the funds being donated? Why?
I am supporting the Sierra Club because they are the nation’s largest and most effective grassroots environmental organization. They’ve proven their effectiveness in everything from protecting wilderness (millions of acres so far) to shutting down coal plants (251 and counting). And, it’s their 125th birthday!
As if that wasn’t awesome enough, their founder, John Muir, was the first European to explore the High Sierra, my favorite place in the world, AND was instrumental in protecting it by advocating for Yosemite to become a National Park. In addition to that, I’d like to give a shout out to Jessica and Mackenzie from the Sierra Club for the help — thank you!
To make a direct donation to my Sierra Club fundraising page, click here!
Would you launch another t-shirt fundraising campaign? Why or why not?
I will eventually do another campaign for sure! Maybe for the Guide Dog Foundation I’m training with. However…I think all my contacts need a couple of years to recover from the onslaught of my solicitations. :)
I’ve come to the realization that selling stuff is HARD- but it has been such a fun project! In the process of reaching out in the creation and promotion of the shirt, I’ve reconnected with people I haven’t been in touch with for years, made new friends, and enjoyed the enthusiastic support of many awesome people — primarily Abby and Davia at Ink — thanks guys!
Regardless of how successful this project actually is in financial terms, it’s part of an arc of momentum towards being an effective advocate for something I care about very deeply. Other than learning how effective a t-shirt can be, one of my primary takeaways from being involved in the Clinton campaign is the Methodist creed that was quoted on occasion…
Do as much good as you can.
In as many ways as you can.
In all the places you can.
At all the times you can.
To all the people you can.
As long as ever you can.
Somebody should really put that on a t-shirt!
Support Alison’s fundraising efforts by purchasing a t-shirt here and follow her blog, “Stuff I Wrote Anyway” to read about her everyday thoughts!
