This Map Is Ugly
September 2022, Palo Alto Art Center.
The Map: What could the town of Palo Alto look like in 30 years? Ugly. Here’s the thing, if we don’t get going on climate action the continuing changes to our world will reach into our lives in so many ways. In this piece we explore 13 ways that our town may change, and pin the changes to places and populations. Visitors were invited to reflect on what they would miss in this changed future and were offered climate steps that can make a difference.
What They Would Miss: Cats, mostly. Glancing over the pinned hearts you would notice many drawings of cats. Michelle, an Art Center volunteer, kindly took a deeper look, categorizing responses (thank you, Michelle). A quarter of the 70 respondents would miss specific people, a quarter plants and animals, a quarter beloved places, and the rest are hard to categorize. Among my favorites are “being & feeling safe”, “I'd miss not breathing fresh air”, and each of the 12 cat pictures and callouts.
Climate Steps: Everyone has their reasons to act: some want to leave the world the same or better than they found it; some feel the weight of the animal and human populations that are vulnerable and already threatened; and some know that it is our kids whose lives will be diminished. Please pick a climate step, whatever your reason.