New Initiative 'Greenpoint EARTH’ Announces Fresh Street Art for the September UN Climate Action Summit and Climate Week NYC 2019

At NYC’s Newtown Creek Superfund site, an inspiring mural by Danielle Mastrion and Lexi Bella for Greenpoint Innovations’ now launched initiative, Greenpoint EARTH, will illustrate how cities can restore ecosystems and combat climate change through nature-based solutions

BROOKLYN, NY – September 9, 2019 – Greenpoint Innovations (GPI), a purpose-led organization based in Brooklyn, NY, today launched Greenpoint EARTH (GPE), an initiative that will serve as the company’s creative hub for ‘art plus purpose’ projects to raise awareness about climate change and nature-based solutions. Since its founding in 2014, GPI has worked to guide and collaborate with partners locally in New York City and globally about the great environmental and social challenges of today through technical and imaginative storytelling.

The company previously produced street art projects during Climate Week NYC in 2018 with ‘The Point NYC,’ and in 2016 with ‘The Greenest Point.’ Now with Greenpoint EARTH, GPI is announcing its first street art for climate project of 2019, featuring internationally acclaimed Brooklyn-based artists, Danielle Mastrion and Lexi Bella, to put a spotlight on Newtown Creek—which was so polluted it was designated a Federal Superfund site in 2010—with the goal of sparking conversation about climate change and the role that nature can play as a solution. Lexi and Danielle are known for painting large scale murals throughout NYC to help raise awareness and communicate about social justice and environmental conservation issues. Follow these artists on Instagram: @lexibellaart and daniellebknyc. The murals will be produced in collaboration with local organizations Broadway Stages, the Newtown Creek Alliance, and Kingsland Wildflowers, as well as with support from the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on sustainable land use, the Global Landscapes Forum.

“This mural will bring together world-class artists and exceptional partners to share a message that must be heard from the beds of Newtown Creek and beyond," said Stephen Donofrio, Creator of Greenpoint EARTH and Founder of Greenpoint Innovations. "We're proud to have this be the first project under our Greenpoint EARTH. Through GPI's projects around the world, we've seen how communities are affected locally by global climate change. We’ve seen that by collaborating with talented artists and organizations of all types and sizes, the awesome power of art plus purpose can increase awareness and help communities act on sustainability and make a difference."

“Broadway Stages is proud to support local organizations like Greenpoint Innovations who work to better communities through environmental sustainability programs. Businesses like ours, elected officials, and residents alike all have a role to play in that goal," said Gina Argento, President and CEO of Broadway Stages. "Having been witness to their previous climate change mural projects in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, we congratulate them on launching Greenpoint EARTH and are excited to be part of this initiative, which is aligned with our efforts to advance ecosystem services critical to habitat and community.”

“Street art has the potential to play massive roles in activating people to take better care of the planet,” says John Colmey, Managing Director of the Global Landscapes Forum. “I’ve seen street art fill walls of the world’s largest developing and developed cities alike with animals and ecosystems, reminding hundreds of millions of people daily that their lives depend on the environment and biodiversity. That’s inspiring. In joining with Greenpoint EARTH, presented by Brooklyn-based Greenpoint Innovations, we're excited to be supporting not just the research and policy work needed to fight climate change, but the creative and emotional work too.”

“It is abundantly clear that waterfront communities around the world are on the front lines when it comes to threats of climate change induced sea level rise and flooding due to storm surges,” remarked Lisa Bloodgood, Director of Advocacy and Education for Newtown Creek Alliance. “Newtown Creek has been an industrial waterway for more than a century -- we hope it will serve as a global example of how ecology and industry are not mutually exclusive, but can work together to provide a resilient and adaptive edge for the next century. Using large format, public art we can share that message loud and clear. We truly value this collaboration and know that it will communicate the urgent message of the need for conservation and adaptive restoration to all who see it.”

UPDATE: A second GreenPoint EARTH NYC 2019 mural was completed by artist @Arlin_Graff at the Central Park Zoo to illustrate the beauty and value of another ecosystem that’s more recently being destructed by human actions. The Brazilian Amazon is rich with an abundance and variety of animals, trees, rivers, and indigenous people, that provide benefits locally and globally. However, it was revealed by Andean Amazon Project (MAAP) in the first nine months of 2019 that the equivalent to 172,000 soccer fields were cleared, causing loss of habitats and local ecosystems, and producing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. 

@Arlin_Graff to depict the fiery destruction of this valuable rainforest by painting an ‘Animal of the Amazon’ at the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. This activation was completed for the closing day of Nature’s Climate Hub, with support from The Wildlife Conservation Society (@thewcs), and Nature4Climate.

The Newtown Creek mural will be completed by the start of Climate Week NYC 2019 and will be unveiled at the following dates and times:

• On 09/21 the mural will be unveiled for the first time to the public at the 4th Annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival—all are welcome to join. More info here.

• On 09/27 a “VIP Clean Cruise Climate Street Art Viewing Celebration” will take place, organized in partnership with Harbor Harvest and Clean Marine Energy. Event is invite only—request your invite here with subject line “VIP Clean Cruise”.

This “VIP Clean Cruise Climate Street Art Viewing Celebration” will be conducted aboard the hybrid electric cargo vessel operated in NY/CT by Harbor Harvest (harborharvest.com), in collaboration with SW/TCH Maritime (switchmaritime.com). This vessel is the first Hybrid cargo vessel carrying local sustainable farm products across Long Island Sound without emissions or environmental impact as part if the Federal Marine Highway program. The catamaran will provide the group with an all-electric voyage across the East River from Manhattan to the site of the mural at Newtown Creek.

“We’re grateful to have collaborated with amazingly talented artists and leading-edge organizations in the past. In many ways, formalizing Greenpoint EARTH is an homage to all of our friends who have supported us along the way ⎯ from artists to multinational organizations. As we look toward the future, we are excited for the new partnerships that we are developing and welcome all opportunities for collaboration,” said Donofrio.

This timely launch comes in the lead up to the Secretary General’s United Nations Climate Action Summit, and Climate Week NYC 2019, which will be the 4th consecutive year that GPI is coordinating ‘Official Affiliate Events’ for Climate Week. Stay tuned on social and our email list for additional details about this year’s events.

GPI’s previous climate change themed public art projects include:

• 2018: GPI led the coordination of THE POINT NYC, a two-part arts series that happened throughout NYC including large-scale street art murals with artists Sonny (IG) and ASVP (IG) at a junior high school in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and theatrical events in collaboration with Hypokrit Theatre Company and producer, Annie Middleton. Support was provided by many organizations and individuals, including UNICEF, NYC Department of Education & Intermediate School 318, Assemblyman Joe Lentol, Councilman Stephen Levin, Forest Trends, Town Square, Newtown Creek Alliance, and Broadway Stages. More info: http://bit.ly/ThePointNYC

• 2017: GPI and Forest Trends released ‘Stewards of the Forest’ at a Rockefeller Foundation hosted event in coordination with the Consumer Goods Forum, Tropical Forest Alliance, and many others. This film features Forest Trends' work, supported by USAID, to develop successful partnerships with indigenous peoples ⎯ featuring the Yawanawa of Acre, Brazil, to protect against risks of deforestation. http://bit.ly/GoingAllStewards

• 2016: GPI presented THE GREENEST POINT, a multi-part climate-awareness raising project composed of a community event, solar-powered water tower lighting, and large-scale street art murals with artists FAILE, Askew One, and Vexta. Support was provided by many organizations, including NYC Parks, Assemblyman Joe Lentol, Brooklyn Expo Center, Seret Studios, North Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, NYC Together, Reveal Design Group, Brooklyn Solar Works, and others: – http://bit.ly/TheGreenestPoint

About Greenpoint Innovations (GPI): GPI (www.gpi.nyc) is a purpose-led Brooklyn based arts production, storytelling, and creative communications & services company for advancing awareness and understanding of local and global sustainability initiatives. Since 2016, GPI has coordinated, curated, produced events and artistic activations during Climate Week NYC to provide engaging and educational opportunities for local and global stakeholders to learn about climate change and advance awareness of available solutions. With Greenpoint EARTH (www.greenpoint.earth), GPI’s goal is to help communities act on sustainability to make a difference.

Email direct to GPI at info@greenpointinnovations.com
Tax-deductible donations: http://bit.ly/GPEarthDonate

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