Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest: The Funny Thing About Climate Change!

Message from Founder and President, Linda Cabot

Humor is not often associated with climate change, and one could argue that it never should be. Except that humor, levity, and amusement bring joy and can often soften a difficult message. That’s why we chose The Funny Thing About Climate Change as our 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest theme.

Historically, humor, satire, and irony have played important roles in social reform, and using these entertaining devices to express a concern or view can resonate with people in new and unexpected ways. Humor opens a door.

Now, more than ever, we need open doors and new pathways to communicate about the existential climate crisis and to bring more people into the movement.

Using humor, satire, and irony are not easy mediums to use, unless of course you are a Shakespeare, Trevor Noah, or Tina Fey. To be honest, I was worried about how our students would fare with this unusual directive. It turns out, I needn’t have worried—our students rose to the occasion!

The 2022 Contest participants demonstrated across all Categories—from visual art and film to creative writing and music—that they understand the power of humor and levity to create engaging messaging. Teens, who are often inundated with global information and news through social media, have become savvy media consumers and communicators who instinctively know what resonates and what is on point. I could not be prouder of their creative efforts, and I congratulate the thousands of young people who participated this year, both winners and non-winners alike.

By creating and sharing something unique, you have become a part of our global community of creative student environmentalists. We are now 30,000 strong—and growing! It is our numbers together that makes the most impact to create meaningful difference. Whether you won an award or not, you have contributed to something powerful—you are a creative activist who is speaking up, sharing your voice, and joining others to create a more sustainable world for generations to come. It is this—the participation of many—where change happens. Thank you for joining us in fighting for the future you deserve.

“Know what we’ve fought
Need not be forgot nor for none.
It defines us, binds us as one,
Come over, join this day just begun.
For wherever we come together,
We will forever overcome.”
—Amanda Gorman, NEW DAY’S LYRIC

In solidarity,

Linda

View all winning works in the 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest >