Items
Mediator is exactly
Environment
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2021-03-23
The mask trash series
The mask trash series. Historical records come in many forms, and although history favors the written record, the current pandemic reveals ephemeral stories worth documenting. Globally, many people are wearing face masks daily, some are hand-sewn, others commercially made, and some are disposable. They are necessary, they slow the rate of transmission, but they also come with an environmental cost. Corresponding with this new public health trend is a rise in pandemic-related trash such as face masks littering driveways, streets, sidewalks, parks, and waterways. Face masks choke the landscape and harm wildlife. Disposable masks are spun from polymer plastic, meaning they won’t break down, but they will continue to split into smaller and smaller pieces, some of which will be ingested by animals and even re-consumed by other creatures in the food chain. The mask trash series seeks to highlight the increase in pandemic-related trash, and give space to a facet of history we often wish we could ignore: the waste we either intentionally or inadvertently discard. -
2021-03-20
If You Need To Read Lip's...
At Muir Woods National Park the park ranger had a sign displayed, If you need to read lips just let them know and they will remove their face coverings to communicate with you. I was super impressed. This year has be rough. I make my husband do the shopping after a man yelled at me at the beginning of the pandemic because I didn't hear the cashier the next isle over when she said she could help me. The man yelled, "What are you deaf?" and I was too embarrassed to defend myself. I don't wear my hearing aids now because of the mask. Insurance wont cover the cost of the hearing aid and it costs more than my car. I am worried a hearing aid will fly off when I remove my mask so against the advisement of my audiologist I just keep them off. It's whatever. Seeing signs like this just impress me. Inclusivity matters. -
2021-03-20
Mask Trash in Our Sacred Places
Mask Trash found in our sacred places. This was found inside of Muir Woods National Park. -
2021-03-20
Mask Trash in Our Sacred Places
Mask trash found in a protected habitat area of Muir Beach, California. The area is closed to try and recover habitats in danger. -
2020-05-01
COVID19 and wildlife
This website gives more insight on how cover 19 has effected wildlife and how humans can help the cause. -
2020-06-22
Human effects on wildlife in a pandemic
This article is telling readers about how cover-19 has allowed researchers to figure out more on how humans have an effect on wildlife. With less humans going out there may be a change to see. -
2021-03-19
Introspective Interconnectivity and My New Dance Partner
Went it seemed like the entire world shut down because of COVID-19, and we were ordered into lockdown, we could no longer be out and about in the world, gather – or even see our friends and families. As time passed, people began to absorb the implications the pandemic was having on their lives and our responses ranged from loss and mourning, loneliness, and restlessness to introspection, creativity, and reinvention. Meanwhile, the natural world began to tap our shoulders. The animals returned to our cities, birds had took back the skies, and all sort of hidden gems were no longer obscured by our pollution. My own relationship with nature is one of push and pull. I witness in nature, the miracle and fragility of my own fleeting life force mirrored back to me. This inspires awe and intensifies my awareness of being alive, of being a conscious individual within a larger interconnected whole yet understanding that this “whole” remains elusive. My mind battles to rationalize my observations and impressions of an intelligent force that seems equally purposeful and chaotic, innocent and cruel, physical and divine. This relationship has held me rapt and has been at the heart of why I make art. For over 20 years, I have incorporated moss (both living and dried), pine needles and other organic materials into sculptures, constructions and large-scale installations that explore the living energy of the natural world. It is while being in nature that I find myself closest to my art. As I carefully and respectfully collect mosses and needles, the seductiveness of vibrant colours and complex textures occasionally gives way to revulsion as I realize how much insect life they carry back to my studio. While I am made ecstatic by the beauty of life, I am terrified of stumbling upon traces of death. But now, with the pandemic, the possibility of death has come very much to the foreground where, just breathing in public feels dangerous. Although usually a citizen of the world, I am currently fortunate to be living in the country, with the expanse of Georgian Bay across the road and surrounded by deep forests. Outside of my miniscule bubble, I am essentially alone here and the deafening silence has force me to look further inward. My new work has become intimate in scale – small wall constructions made with pine needles. I sort, order and place my pine needles with Baroque intention. They are painstakingly laborious to make – a process that is contemplatively ritualistic but it is now the one area where I feel a sense of control and I am able to manifest love in a physical way. The forest seems ever more vibrant now because when the world went silent, Mother Nature returned to her dance, and now I can fully be in that dance. -
2021-03-18
Mask trash #20
Disposable mask found along the north bank of Rio Salado across from Tempe Beach Park. -
2021-03-18
Mask trash #19
White & blue disposable mask on the south bank of Rio Salado near Rural Road. -
2021-03-18
Mask trash #18
White disposable face mask. State farm building in the background. -
2021-03-18
Mask trash #17
A new day, new trash along the Rio Salado. White, muddy mask found on the south bank just after east of Mill Ave. -
2021-03-16
Mask trash #15
Blue & white disposable face mask east of Rural road found along the South Bank of the riverwalk along Rio Salado. -
2021-03-15
Mask trash #12
Disposable mask trash near Mitchell Park. -
2021-03-15
Mask trash #11
White and blue disposable face mask found near 9th and Roosevelt in Tempe, Arizona. -
2021-01-21
Progressive Activists Call on Biden Administration
Yesterday progressive activists called on the incoming Biden administration to center working people, immigrants, and BIPOC communities in their policy agenda. Their list of demands included community control of the police, no new oil or fossil fuel pipelines, and criminal prosecution of Donald Trump. -
2021-01-22
Construction on Line 3 Pipeline
As Minnesota Governor Walz continues to allow construction on the Line 3 pipeline while simultaneously pushing for carbon-free energy in the state by 2040, pressure is building on President Biden to end construction of it. Immediately after his inauguration, Biden revoked a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline which was meant to carry crude oil from Canada to the U.S. Rescinding this permit delivered a victory to anti-pipeline activists who challenged its development for over 12 years. -
2021-01-30
Protesters March to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office
Hundreds of protesters marched to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office in St. Paul to demand President Biden direct them to revoke Line 3's water crossing permit. The additional carbon emissions from the proposed Line 3 expansion is equivalent to operating 50 new coal plants over thirty to fifty years. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found if global emissions continue to follow their current trajectory, the global temperature will rise roughly 5.4 degrees (F) by century’s end, resulting in catastrophic changes to the planet. -
2021-03-04
Pipeline Actions
From Drew Arrieta's post: Activists and community members are taking part in a series of actions in Minnesota this week to stop Line 3 construction. The replacement pipeline will bring nearly a million barrels of tar sands - one of the most carbon intensive forms of energy - daily from Canada to Wisconsin. Almost 30 years ago, the current Line 3 pipeline ruptured in Grand Rapids, MN, spilling 1.7 million gallons of oil onto the frozen Prairie River. It is the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history. On Tuesday, a letter was delivered to management at multiple Chase locations signed by 41 Indigenous women supported by over 150 organizations requesting they stop providing financing to Enbridge, the company which operates and is building the pipeline. -
2020-03-08
Mask trash #10
White & blue disposable mask along the rail line. Found near the corner of Ash and 5th in downtown Tempe, AZ. -
2021-03-06
Mask trash #9
It's rare to see trash or even discarded masks on campus. The university does a good job of keeping the grounds tidy and clean-looking. I found this mask near the back stairs of the COOR building. -
2021-03-06
Mask trash #8
I came across this white fabric mask while walking from home to the university. It was near the corner of Roosevelt and 5th. -
2021-03-04
Mask trash #7
Mask trash spotted on the walk back from Whole Foods near the intersection of 5th and Hardy. -
2021-03-04
Mask trash #6
Fabric mask spotted on the corner of Mill and University near Campus. -
2021-02-26
#JOTPYPhoto from Rebecca Wingo
Late to the game, but I wanted an even number of #JOTPYPhoto posts for my students. (Sorry, #ucincyPH students). In my desperation to leave my house, I took up hiking. Over my birthday week in July, I hiked 45 miles! And I kept up the habit all winter, even on icy days like this one. #TwinValleyTrail -
2020-03-01
Mask trash #5
Mondays are "no media Mondays," at our house. I went out with the family to the river walk along Rio Salado. On our way back to the car, I found this black, fabric, reusable mask on the path just down from the Tempe Center for the Arts. -
2020-02-27
Mask trash #4
Disposable masks are everywhere, I found this one stuck in my neighbor's fence. -
2021-02-16
Desert Mountains in Late Afternoon, Tucson, Arizona, USA
This photograph of desert mountains in Tucson, Arizona, USA, shows the beauty and the power of nature. The image is associated with our creation of an Environment collection in the archive. We seek to collect stories about the environment: how it has been impacted by the pandemic, with changes in pollution levels, increased levels of trash, and alterations in human interactions, and how humans have interacted with the environment during the pandemic, using it decrease stress, get out of the house, grow food, and gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of it. -
2020-05-08
The world outside, during the pandemic
The article describes how the pandemic has affected the natural environment in Arizona: the building of the border wall between the US and Mexico (with great effects on animals), the changes to how firefighters will put out fires during this time to adhere to social distancing guidelines, and the increase in trash in federal natural areas. It has described how some people have gained a new appreciation for the environment during these times. -
2021-02-25
Longing to go Outside
Like people, my dog seems to miss going out to public spaces (like an out door mall, hiking, the patio of a restaurant, even the Pima Air and Space Museum) and getting attention from all the humans that pass by. He too is missing out on the social experiences that he used to enjoy before the pandemic. -
2021-02-22
Mask trash #3
Disposable mask spotted en route from the Tempe transit center to the Childhood Development (Psychology building) on Campus along Veteran's Way. 33°25'21.0"N 111°55'45.3"W -
2021-02-20
Mask trash #2
I saw this black, disposable mask while vacuuming my van on Saturday at Cobblestone Auto Spa. I picked it up and threw it away before it blew into the water channel. -
2021-02-20
Mask trash # 1
Mask trash on the playground at the Kroc Center in Phoenix, AZ -
2020-09-25
A City Once Busy
I once used to walk this street on my way to work at a restaurant. I always loved how busy it was, seeing the streets overcrowded with people who had places to be. When I lost my job because of the pandemic in March I had to go home for 7 months. At the beginning I think we all thought that things would have turned around by the time the leaves started to fall. When I came back, I went downtown to visit the restaurant I had once worked at. The restaurant was boarded up still and the streets were mostly empty, and I felt kind of empty too. -
2021-01-30
Covid lockdowns turned buying plants into the next big pandemic trend — for good reason
During lockdowns, people have taken to keeping houseplants as companions. These plants help people that live alone feel less lonely and ground them. People have had varied results with their plants, but plant influences have seen a surge in people asking for help with their plants. -
02/11/2021
Tracey Kole Oral History, 2021/02/11
I recorded a mini oral history with my mom about silver linings. -
2021-02-04
US Rep. Yvette Harrell seeks to spare NM from Biden's ban on oil and gas leases
This article from Carlsbad Current Argus reporter Adrian Hedden explains NM District 2 Congressional Representative Harrell's efforts to preserve the oil-and-gas driven economy in New Mexico. The oil and gas lease referenced here applies to federal lands, and the ban of new lease issuance impacts existing operations. Much of southeastern New Mexico is federally owned, while nearby Texas is predominantly private land. The effect of this ban, if successful, would merely drive operations a few miles across the state line without largely impacting production from within the Permian Basin; it will, however, destroy the New Mexico economy, approximately 40% of which depends on oil and gas operations within the state. This article and topic are important to me because of my familial ties to New Mexico, but also because it demonstrates the unintended and myopic objectives set forth in this particular executive order. The economic impact of this ban would further exacerbate community and statewide problems related to COVID-19 as homeless has recently spiked in that region, and the disappearing tax base has further inhibited county and state programs and operations. -
2021-02-07
The Hiking Experience during a Pandemic
The pandemic and the increase in teleworking mean that people are able to go to the great outdoors much more frequently than they were able to do so previously. My experience hiking during this pandemic has been different in many ways from hiking pre-pandemic. Many more people on the trails every day of the week and at every time, problems finding a parking spot at the trailheads, and a general reluctance for people to stop and talk with you. In addition, people seem to discount social distancing practices on the trails; they rarely wear masks yet they walk within a feet or two of you, and they also talk while in close proximity to you. Hiking has always been a refuge for me, a chance to escape from people and noise. Now it’s more like walking on a city sidewalk. I hope that this appreciation of the great outdoors continues after the pandemic but along with it goes respect for the land and for fellow hikers. -
2021-02-07
Nature Endures
This photograph shows the imposing Catalina Mountains (Babad Do'ag to the indigenous Tohono O’odham) to the north of Tucson, Arizona, USA, with a majestic saguaro in the center front. The rocks in these mountains record millions of years of history. The multi-armed saguaro has stood for at least 75 years. Viewing these natural phenomena has always been a favorite pastime of mine, but during this time of pandemic, contemplating these forces of nature reminds me of the endurance of nature and the long stretch of environmental history. The pandemic and our current difficulties will pass just as other the saguaro and the mountains have seen many other calamities pass. -
2021-02-07T18:36
Mask Trash
This is a photograph of a mask discarded on the side of my yard, in the desert where many animals such as coyotes, quail, javelinas, and rabbits make their homes. I have seen much pandemic-related trash discarded on the sides of the road, on sidewalks, and in people’s yards during this pandemic: hand sanitizer bottles, masks, wipes, etc. With the pandemic has come an increase in the use of disposable materials such as these, adding to environmental degradation and displaying a disregard both for people and for animals. This photo of mask trash shows a toxic side effect of the pandemic and a reminder that people need to use non-disposable items whenever possible and show respect for our natural environment by not throwing things away in this manner. -
2021-01-16
An Eco-Socialist model for fixing the COVID-19 crisis
Rob Wallace, an evolutionary epidemiologist with the Agroecology and Rural Economics Research Corps, reflects on the state of the US's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He lists a set of demands, per se, that outline how focusing on an environmental ethic based on the principle of meeting the needs of each person can provide a way out of the pandemic. -
2021-01-31
COVID-19 Gardening in 2021
The gardening industry saw a jump in the number of home gardeners in 2020 unlike ever seen before. People, with time on their hands and nowhere to go, jumped into the home gardening world. As a home gardener myself, I think that this is a great thing. I have been trying to convince friends of mine for many years now how easy and enjoyable growing some of your own food is. During Covid, many people picked up the hobby. I hope that people stick with it as there are so many benefits. However, I saw last year what panic buying and the uptick in home gardeners did to the industry. At times, it was nearly impossible to find seeds or gardening supplies. For this reason, I have already purchased all of the seeds that I will be using in my garden (a full 2 months before I would have normally even thought about buying them). The photograph is of a couple of the new seeds and varieties that I can't wait to start in the Spring. -
2020-05-09
Self-portrait with mask, May 2020
During the pandemic, I often walk in Brooklyn's historic Green-Wood Cemetery with its rolling hills, lovely views, and fantastic old monuments; it's also where my grandparents are buried. I've always loved the beautiful, timeless melancholy of the place, but during the pandemic, it was also a strange comfort to read the headstones and think of the people buried all around me. Life, sickness, crisis, death are all just part of being human. These dead humans also lived, suffered, died, and now it's just another version of the same thing. The self-portrait included here is based on a photo I took of myself in Green-Wood as I wandered there one day in April 2020, looking to get away from lockdown and to find company among the graves. -
2020-12-25
Christmas 2020
This years Christmas was very different. Because of the pandemic, my family and I could not travel we stayed at home and had a small family Christmas. We went to the beach because we live somewhere were it is always warm. I got to go surfing. We then had a family zoom with our family who lives in New York who we would regularly have been with. Overall I like change and had a great 2020 Christmas! -
2021-01-26
Covid Stats
Covid has infected more than 3 million U.S citizens. Almost 38 thousand people have died from this virus. L.A county has more than 1 million people Infected. This caused everything to close down. Airports shutting down, people getting trapped. Something that personally affected me was not being able to do anything outside. We couldn't go to the mall or movie theatre. Our families were not allowed to fly over and spend time with us. Covid crashed the economy for the world. Leaving more people in poverty than before. Covid has affected us all in terrible ways... -
2021-01
Beautiful Things
This picture was around the time of winter break. To many people it will just be a picture of the mountains covered in snow. However, to me it is a picture that represents the change in my life since this pandemic. Before the pandemic all I was able to do was focus on my studies and sports with no time for myself, but now, even though times are stressful I am able to breathe a little more.. I guess. Before these mountains were covered in snow I went up there a few days before to check out the view with the Christmas lights, but nothing could have prepared me for what would happen next. Even though these mountains were already beautiful before, after the snowfall they’ve become a masterpiece. These mountains show change, in fact they encourage change within ourselves, for the better of all of us. -
2020-04
Covid Portraits: Allston
I decided to do a series of portraits of family members in masks to document the pandemic. -
2020-04
Covid Portraits: Los Angeles
I decided to do a series of portraits of family members in masks to document the pandemic. -
2021-01-21
Cybernation
This image practically sums up my entire experience in this unprecedented pandemic. Being confined to my room, I was mandated to attend online school through zoom. I now had to spend hours fixated on a screen, forced to learn in a distracting environment. With my phone by my side and countless thoughts running through my head, I found the learning process quite straining to both my mind and eyes. The only escape from school I had was spending time with my friends. However, with the ongoing pandemic and social distancing protocol, we were unable to see each other in person. Although we do see each other virtually, it is difficult to do fun activities as a group and momentarily release our stress. The digital realm has seemingly taken over my life, with untold hours spent through screens, I frequently felt isolated and disconnected from the outside world. I long to soon escape my bubble, to once again see my friends, family, teachers, classmates, and even strangers. For the time being, I will take advantage of this leisure time, hoping and dreaming for a normal society once again. -
2021-01-17
Spending Time in Nature Will Get You Through the Pandemic
My story and photographs talk about the beauty and power of nature and how spending time in nature can help us get through the pandemic. -
0020-11-25
Isolation, in Nature, Has its Tremendous Benefits
It is hard to imagine that just a couple of months before this photo was taken, several life-altering events occurred in my life, and indeed, in the lives of millions worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as early as December 2019, initial reports circulated about a "mysterious Coronavirus-related Pneumonia" apparently originating from the province in Wuhan, China. By January 31, 2020, the WHO issued a global health emergency urging the international community to take all necessary precautions to slow the virus's spread and minimize human-to-human contact. Mandatory mask-wearing, obsessive handwashing, and social distancing became customary parts of daily life for virtually everyone. Yet, despite strict health guidelines from the Center for Disease and Control (CDC) intended to keep communities safe, I argue that social distancing has also exacerbated instances of loneliness and depression. Families who count on holiday visits from extended family now contemplate rescheduling, modifying, or altogether canceling holiday gatherings. I personally experienced some setbacks and hardships throughout the year, so the idea of not seeing my family did not sit well with me. Fortunately, my better judgment prevailed, and I abided by CDC travel recommendations. During the 2020 holiday season, I found my outlet and my connection to the land. Yes, technically, traveling is somewhat tricky at the moment. However, home mandates -in my opinion- should not discourage you from sitting outside, breathing good air, and feeling the warmth of the sun. For me, social isolation became about packing a day bag and trekking into the woods-completely alone. And so, I decided to explore Camp Verde on Thanksgiving. This is what I learned: It shouldn't take a holiday as the reason for you to call your loved ones more often or appreciate the people you interact with daily. Humans are social creatures. We thrive on human interaction. So when we are deprived, I firmly believe we should seek nature as our companion. Please do yourself a favor and take advantage of this time to spend more time outside. Explore your surroundings and have a great time throughout the process. -Solidarity