#Heart4Climate
A movement for global climate connectivity
Each of our communities face their own unique climate challenges but we all share a need to find solutions. In a world where there seems to be much focus on what keeps us divided, climate change may be the one cause that calls us all to unite – because it affects us all, no matter where we are in the world; and because the only way we can solve it is Together. Our goal is to supercharge our global connectivity over this cause as we move forward to learn, engage, innovate and support climate solutions within our communities. #Heart4Climate is a call to connected action, and a symbol of togetherness which we can all relate to, no matter our nationality, ethnicity, or religion, all around the world!
Our vision:
Whenever you engage a group of people on Climate Change, take time to celebrate your gathering by creating a Heart4Climate! Let’s inspire the world with this symbol of togetherness for connected action, to build and speed up the climate change movement. If you don’t already have a Climate Change gathering plan, create one! Get together with those you love and care about to discuss solutions. Or begin the conversation in your school, organization, or public space and host a #Heart4Climate event – if you need a speaker look up one at www.climaterealityproject.org. You can also partner with other climate change organizations in your community to create a #Heart4Climate together!
How to make your #Heart4Climate
Step 1. Determine heart size, location and photographer
- If you are forming a small and spontaneous heart (10 to 30 people) you can do this anywhere with any camera and just have the photographer stand on a higher story of a building or balcony and skip to Step 2. Heart Formation
- For larger hearts (30-150 people) the goal is to choose an open space location where your photographer can get a clear image of the heart with no obstructions. Generally a drone is recommended –but not necessary if you’ve got tall buildings nearby or safe way of getting a higher up vantage spot. Make sure your photographer is being safe and have your photographer or drone operator scout out the shot to make sure no tree branches, powerlines, or parts of a building obstruct the view of your heart. For a spontaneous activity, follow Step 2. Heart Formation.
For even larger groups or to make the heart an official activity as part of a another event, i.e. a conference, climathon or community gathering or collective climate action, to get a perfectly formed heart you may consider having a few volunteers to prepare the layout before participants arrive at the location for the heart formation. This can be done the day before or 1 hour before, but we don’t recommend waiting any long than an hour before to set it up. Have your photographer, drone person or a “sighter” stand take position overhead and guide volunteers as they use rope, chalk, or someother sustainable material to mark out the heart formation. We recommend starting with a rope and having the volunteers use [Step 2] to walk the heart into shape. Tweak and adjust it until you have the shape you want. Remember at a large event you may not be able to predict attendance, consider having a heart size that will look good if one line of people are standing around the heart. If there are more people for the heart formation then they can stand together in concentric rings and this doesn’t need to be perfect! Once you have the heart shape the way you like it make sure to affix the marker. If you are in a park using rope, you can fastened into the ground with metal U-pins or you can use chalk or paint to mark the heart on a concrete surface.
Step 2. Heart Formation
- Invite participants to form two straight long lines coming together at one point in a “V” formation
- Once this is done, persons at the top loose-ends of the “V” can start to walk together allowing the two lines to curve inwards until an upside down teardrop is formed like this:
When walking the lines together, it helps if people do not move until they are pulled to move by the person in front of them. So the persons at the top of the loose ends are the ones leading the line into formation. Once this is completed, the same persons who are now at the top of the teardrop now hold hands and one of them proceeds forward to walk straight downwards, toward the base point of the original “V”, forming a heart! The person leading the centre point formation generally walks about 1/3rd the distance of the heart into the center.
Step 3. Take the photo and share your heart with the world!
- Have the photographer/drone pilot take several photos throughout the formation of the heart so you can have before, during and after shots. He can also record a video! In order for your participants can feel engaged, make sure to let them know whenyou are taking the “official” photo. It helps to get everyone to say something at the same time e.g. “On the count of three everyone say “Heart4Climate!”. Remember to thank everyone for participating and tell them, when and which social media platform you will be sharing the image of the heart and ask them to share it too!
- Use #Heart4Climate in each post to link to all of the hearts worldwide! You you can also reference the following hashtags, handles:
- More hashtags: #SHAPESustainability #HelpHopeHurricanes #LeadOnClimate
- Instagram: @globalshaperscommunity @iamovement
- Twitter: @globalshapers @iamovement
Thank you for spreading the love with us. For any further questions about how to create your own #Heart4Climate please email heart4climate@gmail.com
About #Heart4Climate
Inspired by our desire to stand alongside Caribbean brothers and sisters who have been ravaged by hurricanes at frequencies and intensities never before seen – IAMovement and the Global Shapers Port of Spain Hub aim to bring a message of love and solidarity to the climate movement and invite others around the world to join.
About Global Shapers
Global Shapers, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, is a network of 387 city hubs of diverse teams of young people driving dialogue, action and change united by common values – inclusion, collaboration and shared decision-making. Together, they create projects and change for their communities.