Greta Thunberg Encourages Climate Change Activism in Vogue Scandinavia Interview

When a new magazine commits to sustainable production, only one cover star will do.

For the very first issue of Vogue Scandinavia, the magazine chose 18-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg as its cover star.

Thunberg was photographed in the forests outside of Stockholm in all sustainable clothing. Her wardrobe was made from certified natural materials or repurposed deadstock from previous collections. She said she hasn't bought any new clothing in three years.

One looked showed her with a horse, an animal that her father says she loves. But in a behind-the-scenes interview, when asked which animal she would like to be, she answers with a different response.

"Well, I am an animal. I am a human," Thunberg very correctly points out. But then she plays along with the interview and answers that she would like to be a duck or a swan because "they can both live on land, they can swim and they can fly, so they have all three elements."

The interview is full of the type of blunt, honest quotes that have made Thunberg a formidable voice in the climate crisis. When asked who her dream dinner guest would be, Thunberg responded that she "would prefer to eat dinner alone" because she "doesn't really like to chit-chat with people."

And when asked which of her many accomplishments she was most proud of, she said that she "wouldn't say I'm proud of anything. Pride is not that important to me." When pressed further, she still wouldn't budge, insisting that she thinks she hasn't "accomplished anything specific. I just want to be able to say I've done everything I can in general."

But that's not to say she isn't a normal 18-year-old girl. She talks on the phone to her mom and dad, says her dogs are her favorite possession (although she quickly clarifies that she doesn't consider pets as possessions), and admits to watching and rewatching "Friends."

The magazine's profile of Thunberg includes many awe-inspiring quotes and calls to action.

She encourages people who haven't yet joined the fight against the climate crisis to get involved, admitting, "When I first heard about the climate crisis I was a climate denier. Because I thought if it really was that serious then we would be doing something, right?"

Vogue Scandinavia has taken a commitment to being "carbon negative," which means that not only will they offset the environmental impact of printing the magazine but they will give back to the environment on top of that. For example: planting two trees for every one harvested.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com.