2022 ZEKE Award for Systemic Change

Climate change is the greatest existential threat to life as we know it. It is now an undisputed fact among scientists that due to human activity since the dawn of the industrial revolution—and particularly the burning of fossil fuels--the earth’s atmosphere and oceans are warming causing both subtle and cataclysmic climate events. Most visible are the extreme floods, fires, hurricanes, scorching heat, and tornadoes that we are seeing all too frequently and already causing widespread death, migration, and destruction. We are also seeing loss of species, polar ice melt, insect infestations, and other more subtle changes that can lead to long term catastrophic consequences.

Communities around world have been slowly recognizing both the causes and results of climate change and are changing habits and lifestyles to reduce our carbon footprint with the goal of halting the rapid advance of the destructive events caused by a warming planet.

The most visible changes are focused on reducing the combustion of fossil fuels by lowering our dependence on internal combustion engines, decommissioning coal- and gas-fired power plants, increasing use of renewal energy with wind and solar-generated power, and ongoing efforts to make our vehicles, appliances, homes and buildings more efficient. But there are also dozens of other solutions that are equally as important such as changes in our diet to reduce the consumption of beef and other large livestock, use of more locally-grown agricultural products, allowing people to commute less and work at home, encourage use of bicycles as a serious means of transportation, and many other less dramatic but important changes.

Submissions must address these or other solutions that communities across the planet are embracing to lower global warming and prevent climate change from causing cataclysmic destruction of the global human community.

In partnership with the Foundation for Systemic Change, SDN will award two photographers the ZEKE Award for Systemic Change and a $2,500 honoraria to recognize their outstanding work documenting systemic changes leading to sustainable solutions to the climate crisis. First-place winners will also be featured at Photoville, in ZEKE magazine, and in a traveling exhibition.

Other selected work documenting the climate crisis and solutions will be awarded honorable mention and also featured at Photoville, in ZEKE magazine, and in a traveling exhibition.

Submissions can include solutions as varied as reducing the combustion of fossil fuels by lowering our dependence on internal combustion engines, decommissioning coal- and gas-fired power plants, increasing use of renewal energy with wind and solar-generated power, and ongoing efforts to make our vehicles, appliances, homes and buildings more efficient. But there are also dozens of other solutions that are equally as important such as changes in our diet to reduce the consumption of beef and other large livestock, use of more locally-grown agricultural products, allowing people to commute less and work at home, encourage use of bicycles as a serious means of transportation, reduce consumption of consumer packaging, and many other less dramatic but important changes.