I want to see this in person *SO BAD*

[agentxpndble]

Check out this seriously awesome art exhibit:

Running the Numbers
An American Self-Portrait

This new series looks at contemporary American culture through the austere lens of statistics. Each image portrays a specific quantity of something: fifteen million sheets of office paper (five minutes of paper use); 106,000 aluminum cans (thirty

Comments

[agentxpndble]

Statistics are a completely dodgy, evil *business* and shouldn't be used in arguments or politics - but they do have a use. And the process of *seeing* what numbers really represent is extremely moving.

I'm bristling a bit at the OMG thing... Maybe I misunderstand you? Are you saying you're suspicious of those who wave around consumer statistics as scare tactics - or - that you doubt that there is really a problem?

Either way, I challenge you to honestly add up every bit of (non-recycled or composted) waste the came out of your household in the past year and envision it in your back yard - For as long as it takes to decompose (we'll skip over the issue of toxins for now) - Multiply it times the years in your lifetime. I think that's a pretty shocking image/reality on it's own - *My own*, comparatively small, amount of gluttonous consumer waste shocks and horrifies *me*.

And you can't count recycled materials free-and-clear of the problem - The energy consumption and toxins produced in processes (like paper recycling) are considerable. There's a whole litany of "other" environmental costs in recycling.

Sorry... You got me going. ;-)

[elicia8]

*laughs*

I love that you are so passionate. And yes, of course I was referring to the former, not the latter. Those kinds of statistics should be used carefully and as global lessons, not haute couture to fit neatly into whatever compartment of thought you've established for yourself. Just as everyone owns the sky, everyone owns the garbage.

For the record, I'm not an environmentalist in the sense that I plan to drastically alter my lifestyle to prevent climatological change; the world is adapting to what we're doing to it, and we shouldn't be surprised by that. If we don't want it to adapt, then we ought to stop poking it. I guess... be responsible, be accountable, don't act so surprised when things begin to change? Mother Nature is in charge, in the end. That's sort of how I think about it.

[agentxpndble]

*laughs*...you are so passionate.

<3's you. ;-)