Families often are too busy to stop and think about the importance of the natural world and the impact of climate change. This activity is designed to help people consider climate change and what they value.
WHAT:
Most belief systems have a tradition of prayer, though the forms vary. With due respect for all faiths, we’ve borrowed from the Tibetan Prayer Flag tradition because of the universality of the principles drawing from nature. Prayer flags are simple devices that, coupled with the natural energy of the wind, quietly harmonize the environment, impartially increasing happiness and good fortune among all living things.
WHY:
Climate change is a common and overwhelming concern for all mankind. Think of your artwork as you will . . . a prayer, a hope, a plea, an intention and a commitment. Children can think of it simply as something in Nature that they love and never want to lose. Our collective prayers for humans to cease inducing Climate Change will be sent into the universe. . . . blowing ‘silent prayers spoken on the breath of nature, to fill all of space.’
WHEN:
This is a short activity that can be done in many different settings.
- With family at home.
- At church – Sunday School
- In schools – elementary through high school integrated into an art or cross-curricular activity. After school clubs.
- At community fairs/festivals.
HOW:
- Tear an old bed sheet into 7” squares. One flag will include 5 squares. Tip: after tearing a long length, iron it before tearing into squares to make it easier to draw on.
- Tear the bed sheet into 2” X 4’-5’ lengths to string the five 7” squares together.
- Use markers to create designs & messages on each flag.
- Use a simple running stitch to attach the squares to the long piece.
- Hang outside your home, your church, your school.
