I’m Kayla. I make signs. I march. I teach a little. I post a lot. And yes, I’ve tried more climate slogans than I’ve tried coffee creamers. Some hit like a drum. Some land with a thud. Here’s what I’ve learned, the hard way, marker stains and all.
For the nerdy breakdown of every slogan I put through its paces, check out this full test run of climate change slogans that ranks the real-world winners and duds.
A quick scene-setter
Last fall, I stood at a downtown march with smoke in the air from nearby fires. My sign said “There is no Planet B.” Simple. Big letters. People honked. A kid on a scooter pointed and smiled. That felt right. But my friend held “Net zero now.” Great idea. Fewer nods. You know what? Words matter, but rhythm matters too.
Moments like that downtown rally remind me of the energy powering the youth-led Fridays for Future marches happening every Friday across the globe.
Short, punchy, easy to read
These got the most honks, snaps, and shares. I’ve tested them at rallies, school fairs, and on stickers.
- “There is no Planet B”
- “Make Earth Cool Again”
- “Climate justice now”
- “Our house is on fire”
- “Keep it in the ground”
- “Act now”
Why they work: they’re fast. You can read them at a stoplight. I used thick black Sharpie on cardboard, two colors tops. That helps a ton.
Funny, but not silly
A little humor can pull people in. It kept folks by my table at our library event.
- “Don’t be a fossil fool”
- “Respect your Mother (Earth)”
- “The seas are rising and so are we”
- “No nature, no future”
I wore “Respect your Mother” on a thrifted Gildan tee. My grandma loved it. A teen asked where I got it. That’s a win.
Kid-friendly signs that still say something
At my school’s Earth Day booth, we made mini posters. We kept words soft, but clear.
- “Protect what you love”
- “Save the bees, save the seas”
- “Be part of the solution, not the pollution”
- “Plant trees, please”
Kids colored bees. Parents took photos. We raised money for a tree-planting day. Not bad for crayons and tape.
If you’re hunting for fresh words to pair with those crayons, these quotes about climate change I actually use grab attention from both parents and teens.
Science-y lines that need a tiny bit of help
These work, but I had to add a quick note, or a simple pic.
- “1.5°C to stay alive” (I drew a small thermometer)
- “Science not silence”
- “Cut methane now”
- “Net zero now”
“Cut methane now” got real talk going with a local farm group on Instagram. We swapped tips. That felt useful. But on a busy street, folks skim past numbers. So pair them with art, or a short line under it.
What didn’t land for me
- Big shame words. “You’re killing the planet.” People shut down. I saw it on faces.
- Long lines with three ideas in one. I did that once. Even I got lost reading it back.
- Pure doom. “It’s too late.” It made me sad. It made others walk away.
Urgent is fine. Hopeless? Not so much.
Keeping messages tight and solution-focused also echoes the call for “urgent climate action” spelled out in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 13.
Field notes: where each slogan shines
- Street march: short hits best. “There is no Planet B.” “Climate justice now.”
- Yard sign: clear and calm. “Protect what you love.” “No nature, no future.”
- Classroom: kind, hopeful. “Save the bees, save the seas.”
- Social posts: humor or stats with a clean graphic. I made mine in Canva with high-contrast colors. Simple fonts. Big margins.
Because some conversations now happen in ten-second bursts, I also study how spontaneous, everyday creators keep attention on Snapchat; browsing the vibe over at this collection of snap amateur clips shows how unpolished, quick-hit stories can feel authentic and create instant engagement you can borrow for climate messaging.
Community shout-outs in the real world matter just as much. When I’m setting up a last-minute sign-making night or looking for extra paint brushes, I’ll drop a note on local classifieds—Maryland folks will spot my posts on Doublelist Gaithersburg where neighbors trade supplies, arrange meet-ups, and jump in when an environmental cause needs hands on deck.
And when I need something more structured than a sign—say, a class projector—I lean on this climate-change PowerPoint guide to keep slides tight and compelling.
If you’re looking for collective stories and campaign ideas from around the world, Our Voices hosts a treasure trove of ready-to-use resources.
Tiny tip: say it out loud. If you can’t read it in one breath, cut words.
How I actually make them
Nothing fancy. Recycled cardboard, a fat Sharpie, and blue painter’s tape for edges. For shirts or totes, I used Canva to lay it out, then a local print shop. My sister used a Cricut for decals—cute, sturdy, and it sticks on water bottles like a champ.
Color trick I swear by: black text on a light background. Red for one “hot” word, like FIRE or NOW. That’s it.
My go-to shortlist (with quick notes)
- “There is no Planet B” — Always works. Big reach.
- “Make Earth Cool Again” — Playful. Good for shirts.
- “Climate justice now” — Strong. Clear about people, not just ice.
- “The seas are rising and so are we” — Great chant rhythm.
- “Respect your Mother (Earth)” — Warm. Multigenerational hit.
Backup set when I want policy vibes:
- “Science not silence”
- “1.5°C to stay alive”
- “Keep it in the ground”
One last thing
A slogan is a spark, not the whole fire. It starts a talk. It keeps someone near your table. It gets a honk. Then comes the work—calls, votes, habits, care. But a good line helps us meet in the middle of a noisy street and say, “Hey, I see you.”
So pick a line that fits your voice. Make it simple. Make it kind and bold. And if you try a new one, tell me how it goes. I’ll be the one with paint on my sleeves and a spare marker in my bag, just in case.