The Air Out There

Breathe.

Last May I wrote about the Keeling Curve, the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and the climate-related feedback processes associated with it. Today, the carbon dioxide concentration is 401 ppm, 350 ppm is the "healthy threshold". It has been like this for some time. I think about this, and I think about the pollen count, the nicotine vapor from the ecigarette next to me, the smoke rising from the local saw mill, the fumes at the gas station. Then I think about the murky air over LA, the hard-to-see athletes at the Beijing Olympics, and the Suracha factory being sued. I think about what I am breathing in every day, and I quietly apologize to my lungs for the many ways in which I have been unkind to them in the past. I thank them for their service to me, that they stick in there, that they let me dance and run and sing and laugh. I take a deep breath, and another, closing my eyes and savoring evening air. I think that it could be sweeter, cleaner. I think about the fact that everything we put into the air stays there, that air pollution is like fouling your own pool. I think that we could all take some action, do some thing. I think that ultimately, we will all want to take another breath.

To read about climate projects:

http://350.org/

Drop In the Bucket

Cycle.

The water cycle is one of the first things taught in almost any natural science course.  That water is cyclical and therefore finite is a hugely important thing for people to understand in terms of how we relate to and behave with respect to the environment.  But oceans and rivers are big, and our planet seems so blue, with such an abundance of water, that it is hard for us to visualize how deeply connected we are through water.  

Consider for example a few simple things.  Human bodies are made of about 60% water.  Only three percent of the water on Earth is freshwater.  There are river channels in China in which flow fluids that can no longer be classified as water because of the high concentrations of pollutants, these rivers run with aqueous solutions.  It is important for us to understand how and why water moves throughout the world. 

Artists Helen Friel, Jess Deacon and Chris Turner produced an pop-up book animation showing the water cycle that is a wonderful fusion of art, design, multimedia, with scientific content.  There is still a vast and growing gap between those who are science literate and those who are not.  Projects like this help bring important scientific concepts into the mainstream consciousness. And it is visually stunning.  We all live here together, we need to make sure that everyone is participating with informed consent. 

To watch Revolutions:

http://www.helenfriel.com/Revolution-Animation

References/Links:

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html