Running the Numbers

Running the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait

I came across this interesting art installation (saw it on Thought Kitchen) and just had to pass it along. Be sure to read the amazing and disturbing statistics with each photo set. You can think about these numbers in your head, but to see it laid out in photo form is crazy. 2.5 million plastic bottles used every hour? That’s just mind-boggling.

16 Responses to “Running the Numbers”

1. May
   11
   2007
   At 8:01 pm Kristen says:

   That is just amazing! It really puts our overuse into perspective. The artist did amazing work!!
2. May
   11
   2007
   At 8:28 pm Sonja says:

   Yowza. Motivation to use my Sigg bottle and to bring my canvas bags to the grocery store (where they look at me like I just came in from a different planet when I say “I brought my own bag”).
3. May
   11
   2007
   At 9:45 pm Jeff says:

   Very cool—we’re such a visual society and that one really does it justice…thanks Sara
4. May
   11
   2007
   At 11:34 pm MelanieMC says:

   Wow. I agree with another poster, that really encourages me to continue using my sigg bottles and cloth bags (and all the other cloth I use). That’s really sad.

   Melanie
5. May
   11
   2007
   At 11:39 pm Loren says:

   That’s truly amazing. I just LOVE art work with that sort of simplicity and HUGE impact.
6. May
   11
   2007

   At 11:48 pm Sara says:

   I just remembered that I had read about him and this projecdt in Orion magazine about a month ago. You can see the article here:
   http://www.orionmagazine-digital.com/orionmagazine/20070304/
   Click on Contents/Intolerable Beauty.
7. May
   12
   2007
   At 8:55 am Jessica says:

   Wow its amazing! I dont usually shop at chain grocery stores but I did yesterday and brought my own bag. The bagger and her friend, a fellow bagger were laughing. Oh well.
8. May
   12
   2007
   At 12:59 pm Cheryl says:

   That’s incredible - it’s very eye opening to see what those numbers actually look like. Thanks!
9. May
   12
   2007
   At 8:22 pm Jess @ Making Home says:

   Hey Sara-
   Thanks for doing this… my husband Doug was an art major in college and really thought the visualization was excellent. It helps so much to *see* it like that.

   I can’t believe we’re spending that much $$$ on the war every single day… wild! Thanks for pointing us to that website…
   Blessings,
   Jess
10. May
    13
    2007
    At 11:59 am 2hcreative says:

    I can’t get over the statistic of 2.5 million plastic bottles used in the US every hour. I love the visual way the artist puts North American’s overuse into perspective. But how can we motivate people to change these simple behaviors? I guess it’s just a matter of changing your own and being an example.
11. May
    13
    2007
    At 6:39 pm Mrs. Pivec says:

    I actually just came by to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day. Now I’m going to check out the link!
12. May
    13
    2007
    At 10:18 pm SJM says:

    This is totally off-topic for this post, but I was wondering if you could post your favorite recipes for lentils, beans and rice (not necessarily all in one recipe

    Thank you
13. May
    14
    2007
    At 11:21 am Zayannee says:

    Wow, and that’s just a fraction of the items that we waste, disgusting :(. I may have told you I work for a lumber co. We recieve a magazine called Green Builder. I will be posting a few facts that I found that shocked me. Also I thought you may like this book :The Simple Home : (The Luxury of Enough)
14. May
    14
    2007
    At 11:22 am Zayannee says:

    Oops the Author is Sarah Nettleton
15. May
    14
    2007
    At 2:27 pm Kristi says:

    Hey Sara, it’s Kristi who just sent you an email (ha).

    There was one other thing I wanted to hear from you about, and I thought this may be a good place to ask it, as others may want to reply.

    I have 3 kids. When you really “do it,” as in throwing out stuff and deciding that you don’t “need” or want all of those things and material possessions, have you ever experienced criticism, even from those you love, in the form of, “Well, you are depriving your kids,” or “Your children deserve to have toys like other kids,” or “You are imposing your anticonsumerism opinions on your children….”

    ?

    I don’t think my family would be this way, but they always give our kids gifts and things for special (holi)days, and I know it would be hard to convince them that I truly am grateful but just don’t want our family to have a lot of possessions. It would seem like we were judging everyone else I think if we talked about “why” we are this way.

    You may have had this discussion on another post somewhere or wish to make a new discussion for it - just thought I’d ask. Thanks again for letting me invade your blogging/email today! ha God bless
16. Feb
    11
    2008
    At 10:19 am Going Green « windyprairie says:

    […] Their blogs have been an inspiration to me. One of my favorite blogs is Sara’s. A recent post included a link that led me to get serious about going green. The visual representations were just […]

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