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Raising Awareness of Climate Change through Fiber Arts
Earth’s climate is 1 degree C warmer than the pre-industrial 19th century. The latest climate report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations, predicts that Earth’s climate is on track to rise to 1.5 to 2 degrees C by 2050.
That 0.5 degree increase sounds small, but it's the difference between partial death of coral reefs and near collapse of coral reefs, or between the displacement of thousands of people or billions of people.
Statistics are compelling, but not for everyone. Individual learners sometimes need more than numbers to comprehend complex ideas. It’s also easy to feel far removed or hopeless when these issues are only discussed in a global context.
What if we could create and share an easy-to-understand visual representation of climate change on a local level?
THE PROJECT
The Tempestry Project is a climate data visualization initiative using crochet, knitting, and cross-stitching to create temperature tapestries (“Tempestries”) using color-coded yarn (cooler temperatures in greens and blues and warmer temperatures in oranges and reds). Displaying multiple Tempestries together creates a striking illustration of local temperature change over a long range of time.
Right now, 30 volunteer knitters and crocheters are crafting a collection of Tempestries of Philadelphia's daily high temperatures from 1875 to 2018. That’s 143 years of climate history!
We’re excited about the Tempestry Project because it brings Philadelphia and the Schuylkill Center into an established global educational initiative that is rooted in creativity and community and will reach people of all ages.
SUPPORT THE EXHIBITION
We hope to raise $500 for this project, which will enable the display this compelling record of local temperature change and also create a loanable version to travel to local schools, educational centers, festivals, community events, and more.
REWARDS FOR DONORS
$5 | Your name will be listed on a Gratitude Display to accompany the exhibition
$25 | The above, plus a professionally printed photo of the completed Tempestry Project
$50 | All of the above, plus you choose the location, month, and year, and we’ll knit you your very own mini Tempestry—a hand-crafted symbol of your active support of progressive environmental education in your community.
ABOUT THE SCHUYLKILL CENTER
The mission of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education is to inspire meaningful connections between people and nature using our forests and fields as a living laboratory to foster appreciation, deepen understanding, and encourage stewardship of the environment.
Questions? Contact Amy Whisenhunt at [email protected].