earthtalk

The best Instagram feeds for green activism?

Dear EarthTalk: What are the best Instagram feeds to follow lately if I’m into environmental activism and fighting climate change?

— Bill S., New Orleans, La.

 

It’s amazing how dominant Instagram has become in the world of social media. Eco-advocates would be remiss to not make use of it to raise awareness and spur action on behalf of the planet. Given Instagram’s limited functionality, activists and groups have to be creative to make the most of the photo-dominant platform to stand out from the crowd.

Indigenous Climate Action uses its @indigenousclimateaction account to motivate and empower both youth and adults on climate activism by reminding them of the human connections to land, water, community, culture and the sense of responsibility toward future generations exemplified in Indigenous communities.

Another timely account to follow is @sunrisemvmt, the Instagram outlet for the Sunrise Movement. Organizers have used Instagram to spread their message to millions of young people who have in turn showed up at rallies, marches, sit-ins, Congressional visits and other direct-action events designed to lever those in power to make smart decisions.

Finally, @climemechange uses humor to lighten the mood within the climate movement. After all, laughter has been proven to boost antibody-producing cells, reduce stress and increase blood flow, all important to make sure we keep ourselves healthy while fighting the good fight. Following this account is a good way to fight the eco-depression and climate anxiety we all suffer from, even if just a little.

One way to be an eco-activist on Instagram is to share these accounts’ posts on your own stories, an easy way to spread awareness.

 

EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at www.emagazine.com. Send questions to question@earthtalk.org.

earthtalk
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Lakeville Journal and The Journal does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

State intervenes in sale of Torrington Transfer Station

State intervenes in sale of Torrington Transfer Station

The entrance to Torrington Transfer Station.

Photo by Jennifer Almquist

TORRINGTON — Municipalities holding out for a public solid waste solution in the Northwest Corner have new hope.

An amendment to House Bill No. 7287, known as the Implementor Bill, signed by Governor Ned Lamont, has put the $3.25 million sale of the Torrington Transfer Station to USA Waste & Recycling on hold.

Keep ReadingShow less
waste management

Juneteenth and Mumbet’s legacy

Juneteenth and Mumbet’s legacy
Sheffield resident, singer Wanda Houston will play Mumbet in "1781" on June 19 at 7 p.m. at The Center on Main, Falls Village.
Jeffery Serratt

In August of 1781, after spending thirty years as an enslaved woman in the household of Colonel John Ashley in Sheffield, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mumbet, was the first enslaved person to sue for her freedom in court. At the time of her trial there were 5,000 enslaved people in the state. MumBet’s legal victory set a precedent for the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts in 1790, the first in the nation. She took the name Elizabeth Freeman.

Local playwrights Lonnie Carter and Linda Rossi will tell her story in a staged reading of “1781” to celebrate Juneteenth, ay 7 p.m. at The Center on Main in Falls Village, Connecticut.Singer Wanda Houston will play MumBet, joined by actors Chantell McCulloch, Tarik Shah, Kim Canning, Sherie Berk, Howard Platt, Gloria Parker and Ruby Cameron Miller. Musical composer Donald Sosin added, “MumBet is an American hero whose story deserves to be known much more widely.”

Keep ReadingShow less
history

A sweet collaboration with students in Torrington

A sweet collaboration with students in Torrington

The new mural painted by students at Saint John Paul The Great Academy in Torrington, Connecticut.

Photo by Kristy Barto, owner of The Nutmeg Fudge Company

Thanks to a unique collaboration between The Nutmeg Fudge Company, local artist Gerald Incandela, and Saint John Paul The Great Academy in Torrington, Connecticut a mural — designed and painted entirely by students — now graces the interior of the fudge company.

The Nutmeg Fudge Company owner Kristy Barto was looking to brighten her party space with a mural that celebrated both old and new Torrington. She worked with school board member Susan Cook and Incandela to reach out to the Academy’s art teacher, Rachael Martinelli.

Keep ReadingShow less
community