Students analyze complex real-world problems by specifying qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants. This place-based activity discusses multiple strategies to reduce carbon emissions, and realistic paths to preventing climate change.

“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth, we are all crew.”

Marshall McLuhan, “At the Moment of Sputnik” in Journal of Communication Issue 24 (Winter 1974) © Estate of Marshall McLuhan, with permission.

This artist book is an extension of the The Art for Science Mural project, located in Columbia, Missouri and funded by the 2018 Art for Science Rising initiative of the Union of Concerned Scientists. The book consists of a recreation of the mural design in coloring book format, and a workbook which can be used to create an asset map of a given locale’s sustainable resources so that readers can make conscious choices about how they use the assets within a given community. It is meant to be an educational and information gathering tool that is open source (with a copyleft license) and where the collection of this information is decentralized.

The McLuhan quote suggests we must all do the work, and be responsible, in the care for our one and only home. One way that this work can be done is collating and sharing information about the available sustainable resources in a given area.

These two projects, the mural and artist book, were made possible through the sponsorship of Science Rising and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

#artliveshere #artforscience #artforsciencerising #sciencerising #comoclimateaction #climateactionmap #weareallcrew

Copyleft 2019, Resident Arts

Mural Artists:
Co-lead artists: Madeleine LeMieux and Lisa Simms
Assistant artist: Micah Baker
Artist trainees: Vivian Noland and Samantha Whitworth

Book Artists:
Madeleine LeMieux
Levi Sherman

Partners:
City of Columbia
Hinkson Creek Restoration Project
Union of Concerned Scientists
Resident Arts

Printing by @there.there.now

Students experience civil and environmental engineering by planning a housing development in an existing biome, while also protecting the native species that live there. They conduct research, draw plans, make brochures and give presentations, with each team having a member serving as a project manager, civil engineer, environmental engineer and graphic designer. The best designs creatively balance the needs and resources necessary to support both the native species and human infrastructure.

Students investigate how much greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide and methane) their family releases into the atmosphere each year and relate it to climate change. To address this, students use the Environmental Protection Agency Personal Emissions Calculator to estimate their family's greenhouse gas emissions and to think about how their family could reduce those emissions.

Students investigate passive solar building design with a focus on heating. Insulation, window placement, thermal mass, surface colors, and site orientation are addressed in the background materials and design preparation. Students test their projects for thermal gains and losses during a simulated day and night then compare designs with other teams for suggestions for improvements.