Contest Overview
Moving Beyond the Bad News
Climate change impacts our oceans in a multitude of ways: extreme weather events, unprecedented coral bleaching, and rising sea levels, to name a few. As oceans play a critical role in regulating our climate and act as a buffer to protect us from global warming, the health of our oceans is tied to human health, whether we live on the coast or hundreds of miles inland.
The media – whether a newspaper, broadcast, or TikTok – tends to focus on the negative. These stories get clicks and attract interest. Yes, climate change is the greatest threat that our blue planet is facing right now, but it is easy to doomscroll through this bad news and miss optimistic stories. There are reasons to feel hope for the future. We live in a world with scary problems, but we also live in a world with real climate solutions.
Scientists, activists, artists, and educators are creating radical and innovative solutions in response to these environmental threats. Their work is far-reaching and impactful but is often not covered in the mainstream news. It’s easier to see a positive path forward when we understand the steps that people are already taking to get us there. Recognizing, uplifting, and celebrating their work allows us to imagine a better world and inspires us to take action.
Not All Heroes Wear Capes
A climate hero can take many forms. Whether they are developing new technologies, advocating for environmental justice, or raising awareness through art, they are all fighting to alleviate and reverse the effects of climate change. There is a large and robust global community working to solve climate problems and forge a path towards a more livable and sustainable world.
For the 2023 Contest, we encourage you to follow what interests you – science, activism, justice, art, education, technology, and more – and uplift a trailblazer in that field who is making strides to fight climate change. We recommend that you look beyond the big names and share the story of an everyday hero in the climate movement. Look for initiatives in your community and beyond – who is spearheading them? How can we amplify their work?
What is a climate hero? Climate heroes are real people doing amazing work to make a difference for our blue planet! There is no one way to be a climate hero: they can be scientists, artists, activists, community organizers, etc. One thing they all share in common is the belief that the climate crisis can be reversed if we all contribute our skills and commitment.
Perhaps you already know who you will feature, but if you don’t, here are some tips to help you choose your climate hero!
Explore our Resource Studio to get inspired, discover Climate Heroes, and start creating!
Who May Enter
Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate in the Ocean Awareness Contest. Enter the division based on your age at the time of entry:
- Junior Division: Age 11-14
- Senior Division: Age 15-18
Students can participate as an individual or as a club, class, or group of any size. All students must provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor (teacher, parent, mentor, etc.) Students who have started college or university are not eligible to participate in the Contest.
Submissions are accepted in:
- Visual Art
- Poetry & Spoken Word
- Creative Writing
- Film
- Performing Arts: Music & Dance
- Interactive & Multimedia
Please review all submission requirements carefully.