High standard of living = over consumption? And, as per usual, stuff about wool.
Alistair Fuad-Luke ‘s chapter on Global-Local Tensions shows some crazy statistics from the WWF’s Living Planet Report. This maps out different countries’ ecological footprints, which are calculated according to how much is consumed according to what is deemed appropriate for their land/population ratio, compared with how much the country imports, which is essentially borrowed ecological capacity from other countries. At least this is how I understand it. Anyway, of the over-consumers, I am not surprised that the great U. S. of A. is second (after United Arab Emirates), but coming in for a 3-way tie for 3rd is… Finland!?! I, being originally from there, find this fact of interest.
image from mapsofworld.com
Then I looked at the rest, and Finland was in good company. The other names in the top include other Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, Australia, Canada… all places we consider to have a high standard of living (see Human Development Index), all places that I enjoy, or have desire to visit.
These places feel good, comfortable, that high standard we desire. The big question is, how do you convince all of the places with the highest standard of living, to give it up, or at least create it in a different way?
Pig 05049 (from artist website)
This reading also highlights a truth that all designers must consider. “Every choice a designer makes when specifying materials has an effect on the habitat of other living species, so knowing where materials come from is an essential design skill.” Christien Meindertsma is a wonderful Dutch artist whose work identifies the source of materials, as well as their end use, such as in her project, “Pig 05049,” in which she researches where all parts of the pig end up. I am looking forward to seeing the book on this in person.
Christien Meindertsma Flocks project. Each hexagon uses the wool from one sheep. (from artist website)
On the source topic, she worked on her signature oversized wool “Flocks” with a particular ranch in Idaho, where each sheep got recognition for its wool. This was part of a multi-artist project with the Nature Conservancy called “Design for a Living World.” This is definitely worth checking out.
Colors achieved with natural dyes (from Claudy Jongstra website)
Another great fiber artist, who also happens to be Dutch (Hey, they have great design!), is Claudy Jongstra, who raises her own sheep and plants for natural dyes. These ladies are my role models. To follow in their footsteps, I am going to be taking a natural dyes course, and I plan to check out the 2010 Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival for some local wool. Hopefully my environmental impact won’t be a whole footprint worth, maybe just a pinky toe.
Category: Anthropocene 4 comments »
September 15th, 2010 at 02:01
Here is another interesting source project around animal byproducts by Julia Lohmann. Her intention is to reveal the origins of these materials to remind us of the creatures we share the earth with.
http://www.julialohmann.co.uk/work/gallery
September 15th, 2010 at 03:42
Thanks for posting, Laura. Took a look at some of her stuff… the “Lasting Void” is really impressive in the process and strangely beautiful outcome. And those cow benches… clever… *cringe* I wish I didn’t like leather shoes… and beef.
September 15th, 2010 at 05:32
Hey Crafty,
Newsweek offered their assessment last week of the best countries. They rank Finland #1. Where else can you hire a professional loom threader! Check it out:
http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/the-world-s-best-countries.html
What happens to a sheep that isn’t sheared? Does it shed?
November 7th, 2010 at 22:52
It’s amazing how many middle class people find doing anything that isn’t cheap or efficient to be beneath them- like driving an older, more fuel efficient car isn’t okay because it’s over 3 years old and doesn’t have air conditioning, or buying a product that is more expensive but proven to last 15 years rather than needing to be replaced every 2 years. What’s most frustrating is that they not only look down on doing such things themselves, but on people who choose to do them. I have to wonder about where these weird concepts of status and standard of living came from, especially when many of the arguments as to why things should be one way and not another are irrational and uneducated, yet it helps answer how we came to be such a consumerist society.