Eco-Art: Changing the Climate
The concept of the ‘ecological footprint’ was created in the 1990s by UBC researchers to assess the negative impacts of human behaviour on the Earth. This was a core concept in the ‘doom and gloom’ approach to environmental learning that encouraged individuals to reduce their negative behaviours. This has shifted recently to a more hopeful approach, one that encourages action and agency, symbolized by the ‘ecological handprint.’ Created by С»ÆÊéÊÓƵ graduate students, this installation introduces both concepts as a reflection on the ways in which individuals, organizations and corporations are implicit in causing the climate crisis. For the bottom of this installation, over 90 students traced their feet to create stencils that represent their ecological footprints. In contrast, they used their handprints to shape the brightly-coloured clay hands in the upper half of the installation, signaling the positive climate actions they are already taking.
This installation is part of the 'Take the Stairs' Campaign, a walking art gallery that encourages our community to take the stairs rather than elevators (saving energy and improving health and wellness of the walkers).
Artists: С»ÆÊéÊÓƵ Graduate Students. Special recognition goes to С»ÆÊéÊÓƵ student Clara Hoover and faculty member Hilary Inwood for facilitating this project, and to С»ÆÊéÊÓƵ student Sarah Sgambelluri for assisting with the installation.
