On June 21, climate data becomes both art and action through Show Your Stripes Day. Bernadette Woods Placky of Climate Central explains how these bold visuals spark global conversations about our warming world.
By Carlos Roa, VoLo Foundation
Show Your Stripes Day is a global initiative to raise awareness about human-caused climate change. On June 21, people across the world, from meteorologists and journalists to artists, scientists and entire cities, will take part on it.
At the heart of this movement are the warming stripes, a striking, data-driven visual that transforms more than a century of temperature records into art. Each stripe represents a year: blues for cooler-than-average years, reds for warmer. The result is a simple but powerful graphic that makes our planet’s warming unmistakably clear.
At the core of this proposal is the invitation for everyone to visit showyourstripes.info, download the graphic for your city and post it on social media as a conversation starter on June 21.
More than just a visual hook, the stripes invite questions, spark conversations and create space for meaningful climate dialogue. These conversations, says Bernadette Woods Placky, vice president of engagement and chief meteorologist at Climate Central, are essential to building momentum for climate solutions by helping individuals and communities connect, communicate, and take action.
Where did the idea for the warming stripes originally come from?
It began with our colleague, the climate scientist Ed Hawkins, who came up with the idea. Each stripe represents a year of global temperature. He adapted the proposal into a visual format: blue for cooler-than-average years, red for warmer ones. That became the first warming stripes.
What made so many people embrace and promote the idea?
Climate change is serious and often overwhelming. But the stripes are simple, beautiful and inviting. They spark curiosity and conversations, something we desperately need more of. It’s a powerful way to turn data into dialogue.
How did this evolve into Show Your Stripes Day?
After Ed released the design, meteorologist Jeff Berardelli made a tie and invited others to join. I loved the idea. We teamed up, got Ed’s blessing and chose the summer solstice as our day. It’s the start of the season with the biggest extremes, a perfect moment for collective awareness.
Why has the idea spread so quickly?
It’s visual and easy to understand. The growing red stripes tell a clear story. Plus, it’s fun and wearable. People want to share it. That visibility opens doors to conversations we don’t have often enough.
How does individual action make an impact?
Most people know climate change is real, but few talk about it. That silence is the real problem, because it slows action. The stripes start conversations, especially with people outside the climate bubble. That’s the first step toward engagement and solutions.
What should someone say when asked, “What are those stripes?”
Keep it simple: blue stripes are cooler years, red are warmer and they show how our world is heating up. Then connect it to shared concerns: local weather, health, clean air. Personal relevance helps the message land.
Can raising awareness really drive meaningful change?
Absolutely. Big change starts with informed people. As more people understand what’s at stake and speak up, we build momentum for clean energy, better transit, sustainable choices. Conversations drive culture, and culture drives systems.
Anything surprising you’ve seen come from the stripes?
So many things! TV meteorologists wear them, but so do fashion designers, musicians, even sports teams and breweries. Designer Lucy Tammam built a whole collection around them. It’s incredible to see climate science reach people through culture.
How to #ShowYourStripes
We all can be part of this global moment by taking these simple steps on June 21:
- Download your stripes: Head to Climate Central’s showyourstripes.info and grab the graphic for your city, state or country.
- Show off your stripes: Share it on social media, set it as your profile picture, post it in your group chats or add it to your workplace Slack or Teams.
- Tag and amplify: Use the hashtag #ShowYourStripes and tag @ClimateCentral to spread the message.
- Tell the story: Share why you’re showing your stripes. Your personal connection can turn climate data into action.
Carlos Roa is senior press and PR director for VoLo Foundation. VoLo Foundation is a financial supporter of The Invading Sea. Banner photo: Warming stripes showing the change in global temperatures from 1850-2024 (Creator: Ed Hawkins, University of Reading; Data Source: UK Met Office; CC BY 4.0). This piece was originally published at https://volofoundation.org/news/stripes-that-spark-action-a-global-invitation-to-talk-climate/.
Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here. To support The Invading Sea, click here to make a donation. If you are interested in submitting an opinion piece to The Invading Sea, email Editor Nathan Crabbe at ncrabbe@fau.edu.
