Rainn Wilson has changed his name to protest climate change — to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson.
“The Office” star announced his name change on Twitter Wednesday ahead of the United Nations climate change conference COP27 summit in Egypt this week.
“With the help of my scientist friends at Arctic Basecamp, I’ve changed my name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson,” Wilson said. “This is not a joke, I’m as serious as the melting Arctic, which amplifies global risks including extreme weather events around the globe.”
The 56-year-old actor is a board member of Arctic Basecamp, a team of Arctic experts and scientists who bring their expertise to events around the world.
“I am so grateful to Arctic Basecamp’s long time supporter, who has changed his name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson, to help us warn people about global climate impacts due to the melting Arctic,” said Gail Whiteman, Arctic Basecamp founder and professor of sustainability at the UK’s University of Exeter Business School.
Wilson said he hopes to raise awareness about global environmental issues and the consequences from the warming Arctic.
“I’m hoping this name change brings attention to this growing… er, melting issue. We need world leaders at COP27 to take notice and take action. The Arctic is melting at millions of liters per second, yet this problem can’t seem to make a name for itself, so it’s up to us to make a name for it,” he explained.
Wilson shared that he changed his name using the Arctic Risk Name Generator website, though it’s unclear if he has plans to officially change his name.
“Go to ArcticRiskName.org and create a name that will bring attention to this problem. Then – and this is the important part – change your social media profile or display name to match your new ArcticRisk name. And if enough of us do this, then maybe COP27 will be where our world leaders sit up and notice Arctic risks and introduce a solution,” Wilson encouraged his followers.
