One of the primary goals outlined in the Illinois Climate Action Plan is to enhance the culture of sustainability on campus and ensure that our education and outreach initiatives are accessible and visible to every campus and community member and visitor. One way to make this culture visible is through art, which is an individual vehicle of expression. Nature has always been very prevalent in art - from landscapes down in ancient Chinese ink to animals painted on the walls of Egyptian tombs. Because art is interpreted by individuals differently, creating art focused on sustainability allows individuals to think critically about their own roles in climate change, and how they perceive issues and can make a difference. 

Art is also symbolic and very memorable, helping people learn and remember issues relating to climate change. For example, Land Art is a new trend that communicates sustainability messages by using materials impacting the environment; an example of this could be a sculpture made entirely of plastic that depicts the plethora of plastics in our oceans. Land Art poses environmental issues in unique, memorable, and thought-provoking ways, sparking conversations and change.