Photo above: Adirondack Youth Climate Summit at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY.
Submitted by Tom Collins, Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute
Often science and art are viewed as two different worlds. Climate, Water, and Craftivism seeks to connect students to long-term data from their region with the fiber arts. Students learn about the water quality issues in their local watersheds, and represent that data in created pieces, leading to a greater discussion of climate and other associated environmental challenges. Students took transparency data from numerous Adirondack Lakes, and represented that data with varying color schemes. The coloration indicates changes in transparency in Adirondack Lakes. This partially can be attributed to recovery from acid rain, but also can serve as one of many indicators of the changes our lakes are experiencing with the effects of climate change.
Student participants in a watershed education program on the campus of Paul Smiths College.
What an interesting project, and the title is perfect. I enjoyed learning about your arts-integration approach. Have you seen the artwork of Jill Pelto? https://www.jillpelto.com/