Cartoon about plastic pollution

by

plastic pollution cartoon

Plastic pollution cartoon.

The cartoon cliche of a desert island used to make a point about the pollution caused by plastic.

A person on a desert island throwing a message in a plastic bottle into the sea.
Cartoon reference number: a764b

There’s a colour version of this cartoon here.

How to search for cartoons by subject

Plastic pollution cartoon

by

plastic pollution desert island cartoon

Desert island plastic pollution cartoon.

A cartoon that uses the cartoon cliche of a desert island to make a point about the pollution caused by plastic.

The cartoon shows a person on a desert island throwing a message in a bottle into the sea.
Cartoon reference number: a764

There’s a black and white version of this cartoon here.

How to search for cartoons by subject

Electric powered cars cartoon

by

electric car cartoon

Electric cars cartoon
Sustainable energy cartoon

A cartoon showing electrically powered cars filling with fuel at a filling station. Instead of filling at petrol pumps they are filling at a small electricity pylon

Although this cartoon doesn’t make a comment on the use of electricity to power vehicles, I suspect that it won’t turn out to be as sustainable as its advocates claim.
A cartoon about the environment, ecology, transport systems, hybrid cars, oil-free economy, battery power, fossil fuel dependency, power supply, energy sources.

Drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: env061

You can find a colour version of this cartoon here.

Our course into the future?

by

Environmental cartoon: The human race driving itself over the precipice

A cartoon about the course that the human race is possibly taking.

A possible problem with progress – cartoon

The human race ignoring the warning signs and recklessly carrying on along the same road – resulting in it driving itself over the precipice and into the abyss.
The cartoon uses a car to denote the human race, the metaphor applies to other areas of human endeavour other than transport.

Cartoon reference number: env051b
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

The destructive impact of tourism

by

Destructive impact of tourism cartoon

A cartoon highlighting a problem with mass tourism – the destruction or degradation of the tourist destination due to the impact of the tourists themselves.

Here the tourist destination is a world heritage site – exactly the sort of place that is degraded by insensitive of excessive tourism.

Mass tourism, tourist, holidays, holiday destinations.
Original version drawn: 1990
Cartoon reference number: env123
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Cartoon about the fallacy of progress

by

transport cartoon - traffic gridlock

Environment cartoon about transport systems
Philosophy cartoon about the fallacy of progress

A cartoon about progress, in which the progress (represented here by road transport) creates its own problems.
Is progress a good thing?

Cars at a standstill, gridlocked in a traffic jam symbolising progress (or the lack of it) in transport planning and the excessive use of cars as personal transport.
Also a cartoon about the philosophical question of whether progress is necessarily automatically a good thing.

Created: 2015.
Original version (with older vehicles) created: 1991

Cartoon reference number: env050b
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Happy New Year 2020

by

Happy New Year 2020 father time tripping

Happy New Year 2020 cartoon.

The cartoon shows the old year 2019 (Father Time) pushing the baby New Year 2020 in a baby buggy. Father Time is tripping over the base of a Happy New Year sign, sending the new year rushing forwards out of control towards a cliff edge.

Cartoon reference number: a770

How to search for cartoons by subject

Environment cartoon book

by

The Beast That Ate the Earth
Environment cartoon book

Versions of many of the environmental cartoons on this site can be found in my book, The Beast That Ate the Earth.


I”ve been drawing cartoons on environmental matters since the early 1970s.
The book was published in 2004 and contains about a hundred cartoons in black and white.

The book is available through Amazon.
Such as at:
Amazon UK

Amazon USA

Amazon Germany

The green man – cartoon

by

Cartoon - the green man (as a tree)

The green man.

The concept of the green man stretches back to antiquity, and is usually depicted as a head covered in leaves and foliage.
In this cartoon version, the green man is depicted as a tree, where the only evidence of a human link is the man’s legs protruding below the tree’s foliage and forming the tree trunk.

Concept: 2010

Cartoon reference number: a761

How to search for cartoons by subject

A world in which there is no countryside, only city development

by

Cartoon - a city scene where the only evidence of nature is on a traffic island

An urban landscape with no trees or grass except on a traffic roundabout.

A person in a passing car is saying to their children “Look kids – the countryside!”
A cartoon about sprawling urban development, green spaces, the concrete jungle, nature being squeezed out, urbanisation, urbanization, city gardens,

 Drawn: 2016
Cartoon reference number: a760

How to search for cartoons by subject

Air pollution cartoon

by

Air pollution cartoon

An environmental cartoon about air pollution

Showing a man using breathing apparatus to breathe fresh air in a polluted atmosphere. The oxygen cylinder contains a plant that is generating oxygen

Part of the idea behind the cartoon is to convey the concept that plants are the lungs of the world, liberating oxygen from carbon dioxide via photosynthesis.
A cartoon about clear air, atmospheric pollution and toxic chemicals, smoke and smog

Original version created: 1991

Cartoon reference number: env071b
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Driving into a worrying future

by

driving to the future - the collapse of civilisation

A car driving off the end of a road – symbolising the human race hurtling towards an uncertain future of its own making.

The car driver is following the sat-nav (GPS) unquestioningly as the car drives off the edge of the precipice (which metaphorically signifies the collapse of civilisation).

The road in this cartoon symbolises the human race’s road into the future, while the car is a metaphor for the human race itself, accompanied by its technological ‘life support system’.
The message is meant to be that if we’re not careful it will all end very badly.
This isn’t an anti-technology or anti-progress cartoon by the way – it’s just a view of how things might go if we aren’t careful.

Original version created: 2016

Ref a739
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Blindly following progress (a metaphor)

by

blindly driving to the future - and over a cliff

A car driving off the end of a road and over a cliff – with the car driver still unquestioningly following the sat-nav.

The scene is a metaphor for what may happen if the human race unquestioningly and uncritically follows technological progress. Not that I think that technological progress is bad – we just need to watch where it’s going.

 Drawn: 2016
Ref a741
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

A car driving into the future – and plunging off the end of the road

by

driving to the future - the collapse of civilisation

A car driving into the future – and plunging off the end of the road

The car driver is following the sat-nav (GPS) unquestioningly as the car drives off the edge of the precipice (which metaphorically signifies the collapse of civilisation).

This cartoon is about the inherent danger in the advance of technology (here symbolised by cars, transport systems sat-nav) and other aspects of human progress. The further we progress, the greater the consequences of anything going wrong, especially if we put too much faith in technology and, as here, follow it uncritically.

Drawn: 2016

Ref a740
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Cartoon – climate change refugees

by

Cartoon - climate change refugees

Cartoon – climate change refugees.

The cartoon shows the possible increase in mass migration that may be caused by global warming and climate change.
The cartoon compares the current (2015) crisis of mass migration to Europe caused by political instability in the middle east with the possible crisis of mass migration that may occur due to climate change.

A cartoon about mass migration, climate change refugees, impact of global warming.

Drawn: 2015

Ref a712
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Climate change cartoon – achieving carbon emissions targets

by

Climate change cartoon - the end is nigh crank

A climate change cartoon about the need to reach low carbon emissions targets.

The cartoon shows the fact that if we don’t take measures to reduce our carbon emissions we will reach a state in which the emissions will drop anyway.

A cartoon about climate change, zero carbon emissions, carbon footprints, global warming.

Drawn: 2015

Ref a711
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Global warming cartoon

by

Global warming cartoon - the end is nigh crank

A global warming cartoon, showing a man with an “End is Nigh” placard.

A passing woman is saying “There was a time when I’d have dismissed him as a crank”.

A cartoon about the current feeling of pessimism about the state of the world and about its future.
This refers to climate change and global warming, but could equally refer to the election of Donald Trump as president of the USA!

Original version: 2010

Ref a709
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

The psychology of special offers – cartoon

by

cartoon - a misleading special offer in a supermarket

A joke showing people being deceived by a special offer in a shop.

The customers see a sign with the special offer of “Two for the price of Three’ and they automatically think that this is a good deal due to the way that the offer is framed (interpreting it in the same way as “Two for the price of three”).
A cartoon about marketing, persuasion, selling, manipulation, misleading offers.

Drawn: 2009

Ref a697
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

How to ignore inconvenient truths.

by

cartoon - television programme about tv manufacturing

A TV viewer wanting to ignore the evidence in a television programme as it would make him uncomfortable.

.
A cartoon depicting a person ignoring an inconvenient truth. (The cartoon doesn’t actually imply that all televisions are manufactured in exploitative sweatshop conditions – the use of a tv in the cartoon is because the tv in the image is, ironically, the conduit for the information to be made available).

Original version drawn: 2009

Ref a693
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Climate change cartoon – impact on developing world and compensation

by

Developed world's effect on the developing world - cartoon

The adverse effects of anthropogenic climate change on the developing world.
The need for the West to compensate developing countries for the damage caused by climate change.

Subsistence farmers in the developing world, who’s crops are falling due to global warming.

A cartoon about crop failure, famine, starvation, drought.
The West being implicated in the suffering of the developing world.
One of the farmers is saying “Do you know any good lawyers”, to highlight the farmers’ lack of access to power.

Original version created: 2004

Cartoon reference number: a691
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Profiting from climate change – cartoon

by

profiteering from global warming cartoon

Climate change cartoon.
A businessman making his business diversify into boats due to increased flood risk.

As global warming results in more floods there will be a greater demand for boats.
The cartoon shows a businessman suggesting that his manufacturing company diversify into ship and boat building.

A cartoon showing manufacturing companies and businesses adapting to changing demands, and about the adaptability of capitalism.

Drawn: 2017

Ref a687
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Environment-friendly holidays and eco-tourism

by

Eco holidays cartoon

Cartoon caption suggesting that the most environment-friendly holidays are holidays spent at home (or at least not jetting off to an exotic location).

.
A cartoon about choice of holiday destinations

Eco-holidays, eco-tourism, tourism

Original version drawn: 2009

Ref a686
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Save the dolphins

by

dolphins aren't vegetarian cartoon

Cartoon showing a campaigner for protecting dolphins being disappointed to discover that dolphins aren’t vegetarian.

.
A cartoon about the concept that some animal lovers prefer animals that are thought of as nice, cute, gentle etc (which interestingly extends to pet cats, which I frequently see tormenting and killing wildlife)..

The idea refers to some extent to the ‘natural fallacy’, which states that nature is inherently good.

Original version drawn: 1990

Ref a685
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Why there were no unicorns on Noah’s ark – cartoon

by

Why there were no unicorns on Noah's ark - cartoon

A cartoon showing Noah’s ark full of consumer goods (cars, shipping containers etc). Noah is telling the two unicorns that are wanting to enter the ark that there is no room for them.

The cartoon about the human race’s impact on wildlife (particularly as a result of our consumption of the earth’s resources, but also as a result of anthropogenic floods).

A cartoon about endangered species, extinction, wildlife in danger.

Original version. drawn: 1990

Ref a679
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

We are depleting the earth’s mineral resources at our peril

by

depleting the earth's resources cartoon

A cartoon showing people mining the earth’s mineral resources to an irresponsible extent.

The cartoon about the depletion of the earth’s resources – and the possible dire consequences.

The image shows the earth represented by a boat, with the people in the boat digging out so much of the earth’s minerals that they have made a hole in the bottom of the boat, meaning that it will sink. A cautionary image.

Original version created: 1991

Cartoon reference number: a465
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

The world being destroyed by consumerism cartoon

by

traffic destroying environment cartoon

A cartoon showing a lorry crossing a traffic roundabout and destroying the playing arrangement on the roundabout.

The cartoon is a metaphor for the way that our consumer society and consumerism (represented by the lorryload of goods) is devastating the earth (represented by the flower planting in the form of a map of the world).

Original version created: 1991

Cartoon reference number: a454
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Genetically modified pigs will fly.

by

pigs will fly gmo cartoon

A cartoon showing a genetically modified pig flying.

A cartoon about gmo food and genetics.
The cartoon strip shows people talking about ‘scare stories’ about ‘Frankenstein food’, with the final frame of the strip showing a flying pig.

A cartoon about gmo, genetically modified organisms, pigs will fly.

Original version created: 2008

Ref a695
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Will increased gmo food yields cause human population increase?

by

gmo food cartoon

A cartoon dealing with the issue of genetically modified crops increasing crop yield to feed more people

The cartoon shows scientists considering the consequences of increasing food yields and the possible resulting population increase.

A cartoon about gmo, genetically modified organisms, human population increase.

Original version created: 2012

Ref a677
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

The Ethics of Coffee – illustration

by

Coffee cash crop cartoon

An illustration showing coffee beans with currency symbols on them as a symbol of the profit-motivated production

This illustration was created to depict coffee grown by multinational companies primarily for the profit.

The image is to draw attention to fair trade crops and ethically produced food products

Drawn: 2015

Ref a675
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Atmospheric pollution cartoon. Breathing clean air in a polluted atmosphere

by

Oxygen cylinder tree cartoon

An environmental cartoon about air pollution

A cartoon showing a man using an oxygen cylinder to breathe fresh air in a polluted atmosphere. The oxygen cylinder contains a tree that is generating oxygen

Part of the idea behind the illustration is to convey the concept that trees are the lungs of the world.
A cartoon about atmospheric pollution, clear air and toxic chemicals in the atmosphere, smog

Original version created: 1991

Cartoon reference number: env071a
How to search for cartoons by subject
cartoon copyright matters

Carbon footprint cartoon

by

carbon footprint cartoon

A carbon footprint cartoon from my selection of environment cartoons.

The illustration shows a climate change conference, with the US delegate (Uncle Sam) wearing gigantic clown shoes. He is thinking ‘No one will take me seriously in these shoes’

A cartoon about the fact that (at the moment) the western world uses most of the world’s resources and thus is in no position to lecture about the impact of consumerism to the developing world

Created: 2016

Cartoon reference number: env001