A Beautiful Canary Signals That Climate Is a Monumental Issue

Last Updated on February 27, 2025

A Beautiful Canary Signals That Climate Is a Monumental Issue

Our climate is in crisis. We face rising temperatures because of greenhouse gas emissions, with the last decade being the hottest ever. In addition, we are seeing droughts, fires, melting ice, and extinctions.

An issue this monumental requires an aggressive approach, right?

Well, it certainly means that the environmental movement needs many individuals to be a part of the varied efforts to manage climate change. But not all those responses need to be aggressive and in-your-face.

For example, the United Kingdom group Craftivist Collective is crafting yellow canaries and canary costumes to highlight the importance of reducing emissions.

But don’t let the words ‘crafting,’ canaries,’ or costumes lead you to believe this is a less serious activism effort than, say, camping out to stop the Dakota pipeline.

The campaign is strategic but the activism is gentle.

Sarah’s Gentle Activism

Founder Sarah Corbett is a long-time activist who has many successful campaigns under her belt. Sarah was raised in an activist family but found that the type of activist she grew up with – marching and protesting – was not sustainable. She decided to focus on gentle activism, a way to stay motivated by doing something she loves, crafting, and using her well-developed skills to campaign for change.

Sarah’s TED talk

I wanted to tinker around to see how I could engage people in social change in a different way because I think if we want the world to be more beautiful, kind and just, then our activism should be beautiful, kind and just, and often it’s not. – Sarah Corbett

Although her activism is gentle, she makes change happen.

Marks and Spencer Campaign For a Living Wage

To get Marks and Spencer to provide a living wage for their employees, Sarah created a brilliant campaign. Each Marks and Spencer board received a handmade, personal handkerchief embroidered with “Don’t Blow It.” Because the gift was unique and personal, the board members were open to talking with her and eventually instituted a living wage.

Shop Dropping

During Fashion Week, Sarah created tiny scrolls that said, “Open me.” She slipped these into the pockets of clothing in department stores. Inside was a message about the exploitation of garment workers. Shop Dropping was another unique and successful method to get an important message out quietly and uniquely.

Using Crafting and Canaries to Show Decision-Makers That Climate is Important

Sarah’s latest campaign focuses on reducing carbon emissions by influencing UK leaders. She was inspired to create this campaign because Scotland is hosting the UN Climate Conference in 2021.

The Canary in the Coal Mine

Sarah’s campaign focuses on the idea of the canary in the coal mine, the one that warned miners of toxic fumes in the air where they were working.  The Southern Colorado Coal Mining Memorial Museum includes a tribute to these avian lifesavers in an installation by Susan Norris.

Focusing on this history, Corbett uses the canary as a symbol of the warning signs of the impact of climate change. Her campaign emphasizes that leaders must react before it is too late.

The Impact of Crafting

So how does crafting a little yellow canary or wearing a canary costume help climate change?

Sarah’s previous experience working on campaigns means this one is more strategic than you might expect for something super-fun.

Use Your Skills for Good

First, people who would not otherwise participate in typical activism such as lobbying or marching can find a creative outlet in this campaign, by making a lovely gift for a climate change decision-maker or participating in a stitch-in.

Capture the Media’s Attention

The second part of her strategy is capturing the media’s attention with small gatherings. She encourages small groups to dress in their canary outfits and gather for a “stitch-in” in their hometowns, where there are photo opportunities.

These gatherings are peaceful and designed to grab people’s attention and remind them why our climate is essential.

Send Decision-Makers a Handcrafted Canary

The third part of her strategy is sending handcrafted canaries to climate change decision-makers with a message about the upcoming UN Climate Conference.

For a power holder, this will be a disarmingly thoughtful gift to receive and therefore all the harder to dismiss. – Sarah Corbett

Sarah’s strategy also includes tactical plans to help crafters with their projects.

For example, she includes:

• patterns,
• instructions for when to send canaries or plan a local flock gathering,
• email and press release templates to announce the gatherings,
• Spotify playlists and podcast lists (cool!)

Try Gentle Activism

I love to crochet, so even though I live in the United States, I decided to make a canary. There is something lovely about working on a project that has meaning. Here is my little fellow, posted on the Craftivists’ Instagram page. (He’s a little chunky. I might have overstuffed him.)

In the past, I’ve followed Sarah’s recommendations when I lobbied in DC on behalf of the environment.

I crocheted a small tree and attached a lovely tag with my message. I don’t know if the senators’ aides passed along my handcrafted trees. Still, odds are that my message was more likely to get in front of a decision-maker.

If you are a crafter, use your skills for good.

READ NEXT

I featured activist Activist Sarah Corbett in a previous post about the intersection of Crafting and Activism.

My Pinterest Page ‘Art as Activism‘

Sarah is featured as one of my Amazing Activists.

Are You Excellent at Your Craft? Apply Your Obsession to Activism

Browse more examples of artistic activism.