Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet

“2084” by Carol Rumens (2009)

Also part of the “10:10” campaign, this dystopian poem imagines a post-climate change future where children can no longer enjoy what previous generations took for granted. Similar to “Time Capsule,” this poem’s moral message is that humanity’s current course is selfish.

“Ahead of the Pack” by Helen Simpson (2009)

Another piece for the “10:10” campaign, this short story takes the form of a business pitch: A salesperson advises clients about how to limit their carbon footprint. The pitch uses the rhetoric of weight loss campaigns, arguing that people (and companies) must end their bad climate habits.

“Short Story” by Jeanette Winterson (2009)

In this story, a polar bear calls for an end to climate change, blaming humans for their shortsightedness, stupidity, greed, and selfishness. Winterson focuses on the interconnectedness of the earth—the actions of one species affect all other species. Humans have left the polar bear in the same plight as Frankenstein’s monster: trying to survive in a world where there is nowhere for it to live.