Rainn Wilson is now Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson, thanks to climate change

Rainn Wilson has forgone his given name in the name of climate change awareness. Yesterday, the actor confirmed that he will henceforth be known as Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson.

“This is not a joke, I’m as serious as the melting Arctic, which amplifies global risks including extreme weather events around the globe,” Wilson says in a video statement shared on Twitter.

He continues: “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.

The name change is part of Wilson’s collaboration with science collective Arctic Basecamp, which unites Arctic experts and scientists in bringing attention to the risks of global warming. Wilson serves as one of the organization’s board members.

As part of their efforts, Arctic Basecamp initiated their online Arctic Risk Name Generator, which invites users to become an “Arctic name changer” and adopt a new moniker. It’s via this platform that Wilson chose his own new name. (The actor’s given name is Rainn Percival Dietrich Wilson.)

In his video statement, Wilson urges viewers to go to the platform themselves and follow his lead. He also encourages those who do change their names to change their social media profile or display names to match their Arctic Risk Names, as a means to highlight the issue on a mass scale.

“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 concludes.