Visualizing Carbon as an Oak Leaf
The Project
Our 360 course cluster’s visit to Juneau, Alaska informed and inspired this project. A special thank you goes to University of Alaska Southeast Egan Library Circulation Supervisor & Recycle Art Enthusiast Cindy Boesser, whose community-collaged whale tail inspired this oak leaf. The oak leaf is a natural symbol of Bryn Mawr’s campus, and lends itself nicely to the graphic representation of this project. This oak leaf was constructed with cardboard and paper maché, and each lobe of this leaf represents carbon or equivalent emissions. These are measured in Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (MTCDE) per capita*. From the bottom up, the lobes represent: U.S. in 2008, U.S. in 2021, Bryn Mawr College in 2008, and Bryn Mawr College in 2022. Below are the figures used to construct the leaf, where each metric ton of emissions equals one inch of horizontal length from the center of the leaf. To help contextualize these figures, please note that world MTCDE per capita has remained roughly 4.7 since 2008.The Process
In the spring, the leaf will go on display. Bryn Mawr College community members will help collage this leaf with climate change-related images, to illustrate both the “horrors of the anthropocene” and the work being done to address these horrors.Stay tuned for more pictures of the Oak Leaf after community collaging!