Say ‘hello’ to this year’s Festival logo.

Madeline Adams is the mind behind the winning designing concept for our 2011 St. Louis Earth Day Festival logo!

We chose “Be the Change” as the theme for the 22nd Annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival because we want to stress the importance that small actions can have a large impact on our environment and community when performed collectively. We believe that Earth Day is an opportunity to inform and empower the masses to make good decisions about all those small actions.

Our theme, “Be the Change” is taken from a quotation by one of India’s greatest and most well-know thinkers, Mohatma Gandhi: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” This is why you can see Gandhi’s recognizable silhouette in the center of the logo, leading a variety of species forward toward positive change within our city. The children not only represent the education that should be happening within our schools and homes to establish sustainability as a new culture for our society; but the children are also a reminder that the decisions we make today will have a direct impact on many generations to come.

The black bear and elk represent native Missouri species that have struggled to survive along with humans but recent plans by conservation grounds are aiming to support their restoration. You can read more about elk restoration on the Missouri Department of Conservation website, and about the Missouri Black Bear Project on the Mississippi State University website.

We hope that you have an opportunity to enjoy the 22nd annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival while reflecting on the little changes that we can make every day that improve the quality of life for ourselves and our neighbors.