The climate crisis is real and happening right now. People are asking, “What difference can I really make? The problem is so huge, and I’m just one person.” A new campaign is taking global warming head on by raising awareness of its devastating affects while educating people on ways to stave off, and even potentially reverse imminent climate change. WE ADD UP encourages people to make small or even large changes in their lives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
WE ADD UP is a global campaign printed on organic cotton t-shirts that literally "counts you in." Every shirt is printed by hand with a unique number. Your number represents your position in the sequential global count of all the people who are taking steps to help stop climate change. As the count grows, we demonstrate to the world that “WE ADD UP.” On the back of each shirt is a word or phrase that describes an action almost anyone can take to reduce their carbon footprint, the contribution their lifestyle makes to greenhouse gas emissions, such as, Unplug, Lights Off, Carpool, Hybrid, Bike, Buy Local, and 18 others. Consumers choose which action they are committed to and get counted in. WE ADD UP also offers organic cotton reusable grocery tote bags that say "Neither" (the answer to the paper or plastic question), and recycled plastic sports bottles and stainless steel coffee mugs that also promote the WE ADD UP message.
"The mission of the campaign is to spread the message that each of our efforts does matter, because collectively, we add up," said Jill Palermo, marketing director of I’m Organic®, the messaging company that developed the campaign. "This is a global issue, and our goal is to get millions of people worldwide counted in and committed to taking action to stop climate change now. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something."
WE ADD UP was created by mother-daughter team Judy Pezdir and Jill Palermo. Judy and Jill are artists, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and people who are just crazy enough to get a vision and follow it through. The mother-daughter duo has always supported each other’s work and began collaborating on projects in 2002. From fine art painters to political activists (creating The Ribbon Revolution in 2005) to founding I'm Organic, an organic messaging company in 2006, Judy and Jill have always been driven by creating objects of meaning. In 2007, as I’m Organic, Inc. was expanding and being sold in natural food stores across the country, Judy and Jill became increasingly concerned about global warming and wanted to help. And so, WE ADD UP was born.
