A more realistic display of nature

An art installation at the Schonbrunn Zoo in Vienna is just that (although still probably cleaner than reality). Zoos and aquariums are artificial all the way—it’s an idealized (if it’s a really good zoo) view of the natural world and one that contributes to this notion that nature is untouched by humans (like national parks are these pristine places unaffected by man or something). So we go to these places and see these habitats and come away thinking “wow, the ocean is really beautiful. bright and clean.” when the reality is that a) nature just isn’t that perfect and b) there are really very few, if any, places that are unaffected by us.

The question, then, is whether presenting these environments in a more realistic way, with representations of pollution, can be an effective way to engage people about the environment. Especially those people that don’t have easy access or a desire to go out to a ‘real’ piece of nature. That juxtaposition between the ideal and the reality could be a powerful tool if done well. Or maybe it would be better to present both? Have a sort of before and after set-up where you can see the ideal, the goal of conservationists, next to the reality? I’d think that just showing the polluted state, while powerful, might be too close to the fear-mongering that makes people turn away from direct action, assuming that the world is too far gone, just look at it!, and the problems so overwhelming that they do nothing. But the ideal only sets what might be unrealistic goals for a lot of the world now and the failure or perceived failure when trying to attain that ideal might also cause some damage—the sort of feeling that it’s either way too difficult to achieve that goal so why even try or to focus so much on achieving the pristine that we overlook meaningful solutions to achieve a more realistic man-nature relationship.

art imitates life

My last thought is that instead of saying things like “untouched by civilization” or using “civilization” as a proxy term, we should make the message more personal and more immediate. Like “untouched by us” or something. Using civilization seems very distant and very different from the way I know I think of my immediate surroundings (even though I live in what is charitably called an urban area but is in reality some of the first suburbs in the town). When I see “civilization” I start to associate the solutions and the onus of providing those solutions on The Man; that it’s somehow something that I can’t really affect. So we’re back to framing the conversation.

via Coastal Voices.

And so it begins

So one of the ways we are encouraged to conserve water and help mitigate polluted runoff to surface water is to install a rain barrel. If you haven’t seen one, it’s a 50 gallon (usually) plastic barrel attached to your downspout to collect rain off your roof. There’s a spout at the base so that you can run a hose and use the collected water later to water your lawn or garden or what have you. That’s the benefit to you. It also reduces the amount of runoff going down the street to the storm sewers. That runoff picks up whatever you sprayed on your lawn, like herbicides or excess fertilizer, then picks up the crud from the streets, like oil from your car. It sounds like a win-win situation right?

This is not so funny

This is an ad for a festival in Kuala Lumpur, but it could just as easily be anywhere. Such as Colorado. Which is funny because now people are starting to fight over who has rights to that water coming off your roof. Because if you catch it, the water isn’t getting into the system the same way it was before, leaving the downstream users crying foul. Some of those downstream users happen to be in California which is experiencing some pretty severe drought right now. 

Hate to say it, but banning rain barrels will not resolve this situation in any meaningful way. As long as people keep moving out west and as long as the EPA and other planning entities ignore all evidence regarding the long-term sustainability of those new communities, there will be water problems. Much tougher decisions will have to be made, sooner rather than later.

Go celebrate World Water Day

Today, March 22, is World Water Day so go celebrate by taking a shorter shower, planning a low water use garden and washing your clothes/dishes with a full load. And tell yourself that over the course of the year, whenever you’re out working in your yard (if you’ve got one), before you go spraying anything, take a minute to think about where that chemical is going to wind up. When it rains, some of it will get washed down the street, into the storm sewer and into the water supply. So just take a minute to think about whether or not you really want you or your kids drinking it or eating anything else that had contact with it. It’s a little sobering, don’t you think?

And for next year, think about installing a rain barrel or a rain garden. Think about why you absolutely have to have the perfect, bug-free yard. And think about how, in much of the world, potable water in your house is an enormous luxury (I’m talking about you today, Tampa Bay. You guys should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves).