Profit Over Planet: Climate Crisis Editorial Cartoon

By: Maris Toalson

This editorial cartoon is a response to the climate crisis. Currently in the United States and across the world, individuals and corporations in power value profit more than the planet. The cartoon depicts this relationship between greed and the environment, and it is titled, “Profit Over Planet.” I made the cartoon because I am passionate about environmental justice and climate action.

In the editorial cartoon, I used a variety of techniques including symbolism, irony, and labeling. I used a picture of Earth to symbolize the environment and a picture of money to represent corporate greed. The Earth and the money are also placed on a balancing scale in order to represent society’s value of “profit over planet.” The cartoon is also ironic. While the planet is burning and dying, corporations continue to pollute and destroy the environment in pursuit of profit. Finally, labeling is used in the cartoon to identify elements such as a headstone that reads, “RIP Earth, 2030.”

Through the process of creating this editorial cartoon, I learned how to use visual media to convey my ideas and opinions. I anticipated that I would struggle with the artistic element of editorial cartooning, however, I discovered that I enjoyed expressing my message in a unique and creative way.