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Green Patriot Posters is a communication campaign centered around posters that encourage United States citizens to address global climate change and achieve a sustainable economy. Some of the 500 unique poster designs are created by designers, artists, and illustrators. The remaining were created by individuals throughout the community. Currently, the project's website is the main archive for the collection of posters. However, there have been several exhibits displaying select works. In addition to these campaign exhibits, the Green Patriot Posters' creators use public spaces to spread their message.

The project's logo, a green silhouette of a Revolutionary War Minuteman, was designed by Pentagram.

History
The group that created the Green Patriot Posters project, The Canary Project, was founded in 2006 by photographers Susannah Sayler and Edward Morris. They used photography to show the negative impacts of climate change. They have since funded several designers, artists, authors, teachers, and scientists in sustainability projects. Also supported by the Canary Project, Green Patriot Posters began in Cleveland with bus ads and spread to nationwide campaigns.

The 500 unique designs have reached 4 to 5 million people through bus ads, billboards, media coverage, and museum exhibits. One of the more popular works featured on the Green Patriot Posters website is by Shepard Fairey, famous for the design of Obama’s 2008 “Hope” campaign. He created a poster that advocates “Clean Energy For America". The site features designs by several other famous artist like Michael Bierut, Frederic Tacer, Dmitri Siegel, and Mathilde Fallot.



Inspiration
The project founders say they were inspired by World War II United States propaganda posters. They referenced these posters because they were a visual mass-communication medium that encouraged industry production and unified United States civilians. They motivated citizens to take action in preparation for a world war. Similarly, the Green Patriot Posters goal is to motivate the public to take action against global climate change.

Like the World War II posters, the Green Patriot Posters project uses bold color, simple images, and short taglines. Additionally, many posters play on emotion. Through fear, humor, or irony, each work tries to make a more personal connect with the viewer.

Campaigns
Green Patriot Posters has launched several campaigns to reach broader audiences and create public dialogue. These campaigns can be initiated by anyone that has an idea relating to the Green Patriot Posters ideals or the previously created posters. The number of campaigns is unknown as individuals continue to organize and host events on their own.



Green Patriot Bus Adverts
This campaign took place in Cleveland with a series of seventy bus ads designed by Pentagram partner and Cleveland-native Michael Bierut. It was the first of The Green Patriot Poster campaigns, promoting green jobs and public transportation. Bierut used public messaging space typically reserved for advertising to raise public awareness.

Post New Bills
Post New Bills is a video by the studio Creative Migration documenting the Green Patriot Posters. The film is the first on the project, introducing the project as a whole, its founders and participants, and different aspects of the movement. It features interviews with Michael Bierut, Shepard Fairey, Dmitri Siegel, and other contributors.

Design Museum Boston
Design Museum Boston is the first museum to exhibit the online works. Green Patriot Poster: The Revolution Will Be Designed features hundreds of the poster designs printed and in digital form.

The creators say that the exhibit follows the sustainability goals of the project because of its location in a residential apartment building in South Boston. The exhibit opened on January 17, 2014 and is on view at 315 on A in Boston until May 31st, 2014.

Since its opening in January of 2014, there have been two Green Patriot Posters Gallery Talks. One featured local design curator and Chair of Graphic Design at MassArt, Elizabeth Resnick.

Student Design Competition
Besides the online database open for contributions, the project instituted a student competition in the Boston area to award young adults that bring awareness to sustainability issues and, more specifically, to the Turn the Tide on Fossil Fuels campaign. Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick and the Canary Project awarded cash prizes to three Boston student designers and featured the winning designs on the Green Patriot Posters' website.

Future Plans
The Museum’s presenting sponsor, Gerding Edlen, will continue to host this exhibition of posters until 2016. At each location programming will include workshops, gallery talks, live design events, and a public poster campaign around each city.