Pictures Speak 1000 Words

Enter Environmentalism

The picture above is a part of a series of photos captured by Carleton Watkins that Kevin DeLuca and Anne Demo's article (2000) credit as "the birth of environmentalism" (p.241). These photos were taken in California in 1861, and this area now known as Yosemite National Park was shortly after named the USA's first nation park (DeLuca & Demo, 2000, p.241). This demonstrates the power of photography and art, as the era that this was named a protected national park was an era of extreme interest in expansion of industry. There was very limited knowledge in the field of environmental studies, but these images were strong enough to persuade Abraham Lincoln to create a law that would protect Yosemite as a national park. 

Art in Contemporary Environmentalism

Art continues to be a persuasive method of communicating on environmental issues to this day. In our current society, the natural environment is in crisis because of human induced climate change. Jennifer Peeples' article (2011) examines the topic of photography as a way to create awareness of our deteriorating environment (p.374). An excellent example of environmental communication through photography, is Chris Jordan's Midway project that we discussed briefly in class. Chris Jordan does a phenomenal job of using his breathtaking photography skills to capture the horrifying results of human activity that is destroying the natural environment. Below is a link to Jordan's gallery of photos he used for his documentary titled Midway.  

http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/midway/#CF000313%2018x24   

After looking through these devastating images of the unlucky birds that have suffered due to human pollution, it is clear that we need to make overhauling changes to the average human lifestyle. The results of climate change and pollution are without doubt our fault, and the guilt produced by Chris Jordan's photos should be felt deeply and be thought about critically. The old adage, "A picture speaks 1000 words" certainly rings true with the photos from Chris Jordan's Midway project. What I suggest through this examination is that good, persuasive environmental art is an excellent tool for communicating the dire need to change the way humans live. As a global society, we need more of this type of powerful artwork that will consistently make us critically consider our habits that negative affect the natural environment. Hopefully, over time this will lead to the emergence of a global sustainable society.

Bibliography

DeLuca, K., & Demo, A. (2000). Imaging nature: Watkins, Yosemite, and the birth of environmentalism. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 17(3), 241-260.

Peeples, J. (2011). Toxic sublime: Imagining contaminated landscapes. Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture, 5(4), 373- 392.