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Julie Sperling Mosaics
By Our Own Hands
Archive | By Our Own Hands
Between us and collapse: Appreciating the soil beneath our feet
By Julie Sperling on July 3, 2019 in By Our Own Hands
I grew up and still live in southwestern Ontario. My hometown, Kitchener, is surrounded by that quintessential Ontario countryside, where farms—both modern and Mennonite—idyllically dot the landscape but are increasingly under threat from urban sprawl and the new crop of McMansions (seriously, can someone please explain five-car garages to me?). It seems that the lament of the loss of prime farmland has been a constant refrain all my life. And even though I am instinctively angry when a new subdivision displaces farms and forests, I will admit that I hadn't really given much thought to soil before I started my Anthropocene series.
Turns out, soil is a really big deal and we are messing things up in a very big and bad way. Just like with species, just like with the climate, just like with the oceans…see a pattern here? Just one more life support system that hangs in the balance because of our actions.
A few basic things about soil: the layer of fertile topsoil—you know, the good stuff—is about 12-25 cm thick. And do you know how long it takes to make more? Upwards of 1,000 years to make just 3 cm. Basically we're talking about a non-renewable resource here, at least on a human timescale.
The first thing you probably think of when you think of soil is agriculture. And that's important, especially when you consider that it's estimated that 95% of our food is directly or indirectly produced on our soils. But our soils give us so much more than that. They filter our water, they help us be more resilient in the face of both flood and drought, they support biodiversity, and they act as carbon sinks, among other things.
But we are destroying the planet's soils far faster than they can regenerate. In 2017 it was reported that about one third of the world's land is severely degraded and that we're losing about 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil every year. Another way to visualize that loss: we are losing 30 soccer fields of soil every minute. Decreasing productivity is plaguing not only our agricultural lands (which we use intensively and unsustainably until they are exhausted and then we move on and exploit others), but also our rangelands, forested lands, and grasslands.
The threats to our soils—to both their quantity and their quality—are so multi-faceted and diverse that it's almost easiest just to say: the way we live is basically what's messing them up. A growing global population and rising levels of consumption put a strain on our soils, as we constantly demand that they produce a growing amount of food despite declining volume and health. Urbanization buries soil under layers of concrete and asphalt, and the runoff from our cities pollutes the surrounding soils. War and armed conflict leave behind undetonated landmines, compacted soil from armoured vehicles, and pollution from chemical spraying. Climate change is altering soil's fundamental characteristics, like how much moisture it contains. Deforestation and agricultural tilling practices lead to erosion of precious topsoils (without those roots, there's nothing to hold the soil). Industrial activity, intensive use of fertilizers, and, increasingly, microplastics pollute our soils. And the list goes on and on. To save our soils, we can't just fix one thing. This is not just a case of adding compost. Like all the other big wicked problems facing our planet's life support systems, we need to radically rethink how we structure our society and our economy and how we go about our daily lives.
When I started planning the first crop (no pun intended) of pieces for this series (and, more specifically, the lineup for my solo show), I vaguely knew about the problem of soil degradation as a hallmark of the Anthropocene. But when it came time to do my research in order to actually conceptualize and execute this mosaic, I was stunned. I had no idea that the layer of soil that separates us from the collapse of our civilization is, on average, just 15 centimetres (6 inches) thick. I had no idea it took a millennium to rebuild the very thinnest layer of soil. I had no idea that under current trends, we basically have about 60 years of farming left. That is a distinctly human timescale. I won't be alive then, but my niece and nephew will, and that is terrifying.
I just could not get that 15 centimetre figure out of my head, so I knew it had to be the anchor for this piece. I wanted/needed to show, in a very tangible way, just how precarious our situation is. And so the top part of the piece—that brown band—is 15 centimetres (give or take…this is art after all). As you move down, things get drier and the orderly flowing lines give way to big chunks of cracked dry earth. Unlike climate change, where it can be hard to wrap your head around just how catastrophic warming of 1.5oC, 2oC, or 4oC can be, pretty much everyone can think about 15 centimetres (or look at it here in my art) and appreciate just how thin that is. And even if you only make the link between soils and food, you can still get a very concrete idea of just how bad things could be. I think working on a mosaic that is so concrete, staring at that 15-centimetre band every time I sat down at my work table, made this piece very real and very troubling for me.
"Inches From Famine" (2019), 23.5″ x 29″ — shale, litovi, mortar , tile, brick, terracotta
So what do we do about all of this? It's a big question. And just like with some of the other big issues I've tackled through my work, there are no easy answers. This is a fight that will need to be fought on multiple fronts. On an individual level, I can do a better job of knowing where my food comes from and supporting farmers who practice good soil management (as a general rule, smaller-scale farmers have a more vested interest in keeping their soils healthy and productive, as opposed to Big Agriculture). I can become more active in my community, encouraging my city to make good land-use decisions that won't put undue pressure on this finite resource. And very close to home, I can get up close and personal with the soil in my gardens. Learn about it. Take care of it. Build a relationship with it. Because without our soils, we're nowhere.
Their annihilation will also be ours: Exploring extinction through art
By Julie Sperling on May 12, 2019 in By Our Own Hands
Scientists aren't exactly prone to exaggeration. They are cautious and measured. So for scientists to call the loss of biodiversity happening worldwide a "biological annihilation," you know it's bad. Really bad. The biodiversity alarm bells have been ringing for several years now, and earlier this week (May 6, 2019), the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) added to the urgent cry for action in a comprehensive global assessment of biodiversity. The report was authored by literally hundreds of scientists who drew on roughly 15,000 studies and government documents. To say its findings are sobering is an understatement.
There are plenty of great articles summing up the report floating around out there (like the media release IPBES issued), though probably—and frustratingly—not as many as there are about the new addition to the royal family. I encourage you to seek one or two out and read them (or, if you prefer to listen, this interview on CBC's The Current is a great overview, especially for the Canadian context). The key take-away from the IPBES report, for me, is that we're losing species faster than ever before, it's our fault, it's getting worse, it's not just an environmental problem, and to solve the crisis we basically have to overthrow the system.
According to the Global Assessment, more than 1 million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction, many in just a few decades, if we fail to act. There are far too many gut-wrenching statistics in the report to include here, but consider this one (just as a taster): Since 1970, vertebrate populations (i.e., things with spines) have fallen by 40% for land-based species, 84% for freshwater species, and 35% for marine species, and this steep decline is continuing.
The report is quite clear in pointing a finger at the cause of this mass disappearance: humans. More specifically, there are five major causes, all traceable back to humanity: land-use changes (i.e., we're destroying their habitat to build cities, grow crops, extract resources, etc.), direct exploitation (i.e., we're being greedy and taking more than we should), climate change (yep, that's our cars, homes, factories, etc.), pollution (we treat the environment—from the air to the land to the water—as one big endless garbage dump), and invasive species (we travel, they come with us, whether we intend them to or not). In short: We are the problem. In fact, current extinction rates are 1,000 times higher than before humans came onto the scene, and are predicted to soar as much as 10,000 times higher if we don't get our act together. At this point, only about 25% of the planet's land area is (more or less) free of human impacts, and this is projected to shrink to 10% by 2050. Our dirty fingerprints are everywhere.
One of the report's strengths (and it has many!) is that it makes it clear that this is not just an environmental problem. It's not just a case of "Oh no, my grandkids will never see a [insert iconic species] in the wild." The current mass extinction is tied to development, the economy, security, and social, cultural, and moral issues. It's not an exaggeration to say that our lives depend on the earth's biodiversity and that our fate is inextricably tied to that of all the various life forms we share this planet with. As the scientist who coined the term "biological annihilation" put it: this loss of wildlife represents a "frightening assault on the foundations of human civilisation". Biodiversity provides us with food, fuel, medicine, flood protection, clean air and water, recreation, and so much more (collectively known as "ecosystem services"). A previous study by IPBES showed that in the Americas alone, these ecosystem services provide $24 trillion worth of benefits to humans every year. The earth's biodiversity is so central to our overall well-being (and survival, to put it bluntly) that the current downward trends will undermine global progress on 35 of 44 of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, including ones related to poverty, hunger, health, water, cities, climate, oceans, and land.
"In the red" (2019), 23″h x 22″w — ceramic loon, degraded shells, concrete, ceramic
The scale, rate, and diversity of the loss that's underway really stumped me when I was planning this mosaic. No matter what angle I tried, it all seemed so impersonal and abstract. But then I remembered this broken ceramic loon I had in my studio. It had been my grandma's, but took an unfortunate tumble when she was moving. When my mom asked me if I wanted it, I was honestly a little doubtful that I'd ever find a use for it. But I took it because it was my grandma's and I just couldn't bring myself to say no. Well, fast forward three years and suddenly it was the perfect material for this mosaic.
Of course, when you think about extinction, you probably don't think about loons. Images of cute, charismatic, and exotic animals are more likely to pop into your mind. Think tigers, rhinos, polar bears. But loons? Those are everyday animals. And they're quintessentially Canadian: a symbol of camping trips and summers spent at the cottage. Their haunting calls are almost a part of Canada's soul. Heck, they're even on our money! But did you know that the number of loon chicks produced each year has been falling for the past 30 years, thanks in large part to mercury pollution and acid precipitation? Not good. All of this made them the perfect way to bring this issue home (at least for Canadians) and make the enormous loss of global biodiversity that we're experiencing personal and intimate.
I built the loon explosion (which was meant to echo the idea of "annihilation") by working my way from the loon's head to its tail. This meant that the eyes were the first two pieces to go in, and they followed me the entire time I was working. It was very unnerving. I hope you find them as creepy as I do. The loon is hemmed in by concrete, which is an allusion to the rampant habitat destruction that's fuelling the current biological annihilation.
The title of this piece—"In The Red"—has a few layers to it. First, it's a nod to the International Union for Concerned Scientists' Red List of Threatened Species, which is the leading source of information on species at risk across the world. Second, by using an expression for being in debt, it references the incredible value of the ecosystem services (and also just the intrinsic value of the nature's richness and diversity) that we benefit from and are at risk of losing. And finally, it's also about those haunting red eyes.
The degraded shells are leftover from the piece I did about ocean acidification a few years ago, and seemed a perfect small touch for this piece.
This mosaic really pushed me emotionally. Maybe it was because I was also listening to Elizabeth Kolbert's "The Sixth Extinction" as I worked. Maybe it was the profound sense of loss and guilt. Maybe it was the eyes. Whatever it was, it got to me and I'm still in a bit of a funk. I'm trying to use that to fuel me and help me push for the "transformational changes" (aka overthrowing the system) that the IPBES report says are necessary if we want to turn this ship around. What does that look like? Well, it's reforming nearly every aspect of our society to be kinder to nature (and in turn, to be kinder to ourselves). This includes our laws, our trade policies, our institutions, our values, and our economies, to name just a few. For example, it means shifting our view of development away from continuous economic growth and GDP (i.e., more stuff!) toward happiness and well-being. It's a huge undertaking and it needs to happen ASAP, but we can't shy away from the challenge. Our lives depend on it. So look into that loon's eyes, harness the uneasiness, sadness, loss, guilt, rage, or whatever else you might feel, and channel it. I'll be right there with you, fighting for our existence.
Don't look away
Be a part of my art: Send me a piece of your place
By Julie Sperling on April 12, 2019 in Announcement, By Our Own Hands
I have a favour to ask. I'm currently in the midst of preparing for a solo show that will open this October in the little town of Minden, Ontario. It will be a show entirely devoted to the Anthropocene, and I'd like you to be part of it.
One of the pieces I'm planning to make involves a little bit of community participation. And by "participation" I mean "Please send me materials to put into a mosaic for the show." Now, this isn't some sneaky ploy to get free materials. I neither expect nor want you to send me your 24k gold smalti, that's for sure. Let me explain…
In my opinion, one of the things that has contributed to this giant mess we're in is an increasingly individualistic mindset and an erosion of community. We are increasingly out for ourselves and disconnected from others. This disconnect isn't just between us and our fellow humans, it also extends to the relationship between us and the planet and all its landscapes and inhabitants, whether they're fuzzy, slimy, leafy, scaly, or anything else.
Without a deep sense of connection—to other people, other beings (sentient and non), and other places—it becomes far too easy to ignore the consequences of our actions. What's more, resilient communities, where social bonds are tight and there is a strong sense of place, are a key ingredient in turning this ship around and starting to make real progress on the environmental challenges we face.
There's a lot more I could say, but I'll save that for the blog post once this piece is eventually finished. But to do that, I need your help!
I want to make a mosaic to connect people to each other through their experiences, stories, and places. This mosaic will incorporate pieces of people's places, which they (you!) send to me and I knit them together into a cohesive whole. And here's the fun part: I plan to invite viewers to touch it. To get to know it. To connect with it—and, by extension, other people and places—in a very literal, tactile way.
I would love it if you would consider sending me a small contribution. I'm not looking for your most precious materials, and it most definitely does not have to be fancy or blingy or expensive. If you want to send me a rock from your driveway or your garden, that's cool. Some brick that has broken off your house? Also cool. Part of a broken plate off of which your family has eaten many home-cooked meals? Again, cool.
Here's what I really want: Send me something that makes you think of a place that's special to you. Send me something that reminds you of home. Send me something that reminds you of someone special. In short, send me something that tells a story.
My first official submission: a rock from the monastery where a fellow artist lives
Here are the details, as well as some rules / guidelines to follow when you're figuring out what you'd like to contribute.
Where do I send it? If you're in the Kitchener area, we can arrange a drop-off / pick-up. If you need to mail it, just email me and I'll send you my address (for obvious reasons, I'd prefer not to post that here). And here's a bonus for any fellow mosaicists attending SAMA in Nashville: I'll be there and I'd be happy to accept your contributions there if you want to play!
What's the deadline? June 15. (I know it's a long way off, but I'll remind you again closer to the date.)
What size does it have to be? It can be as small as you like, but please don't make it too big. Maximum size: about three-ish inches in either direction, and no deeper than two-ish inches.
Can I send anything? Feel free to get creative—you are definitely not restricted only to rocks—and if you want to run it by me first, please do. But keep in mind that people will be touching it, so nothing sharp. And while I love rusty metal, this is not the place for it as I'm sure there would be some tetanus-related liabilities… Also, nothing that will biodegrade, please and thank you. Oh, and maybe no creepy doll heads, ok?
Will you use everything you get? I will try to use everything you send me, but reserve the right to exclude a submission if it does not meet the criteria outlined above. Also, be warned that, while I intend to use most submissions as-is, you have to be ok with me cutting them or otherwise altering them. Don't send me anything precious if you're not ok with me taking a hammer to it.
Anything else? When you send it, please include a note saying why you chose that particular thing to send. Tell me its story. I'm going to try to find a way to include all that information in the final presentation…
Other questions? Just ask!
And that's it! I hope some of you out there will be keen to participate. I look forward to hearing your stories and playing connector.
Four days a week: My mosaic experiment in working less to live better
By Julie Sperling on April 3, 2019 in By Our Own Hands
Let's talk about work-life balance. "Wait a second, Julie," you say, "I thought you worked on environmental issues…?" Oh, I do. But this has a decidedly environmental angle. So let's dive in!
Allow me to set the stage by telling you a bit about my own work-life balance. Since graduating from university, I've always had a regular 9-to-5 office-style day job. I've never been concerned with chasing promotions. For me, the most important part of work has always been doing interesting work with talented colleagues, and—as much as possible—being able to leave my work at work. Am I capable of working at a higher level? You bet. Could I think of things to do with the extra money that would come with a promotion? Sure. But for me the trade-off—the extra responsibility, hours, and stress that would surely be attached to moving up the corporate ladder—just hasn't seemed worth it. Without knowing it, I have pursued what David Roberts calls "the medium chill." (Note: While I'm not going to get into the notion of the medium chill here, it's most definitely a related concept and I would strongly encourage you to go read David's article.)
For years and years, this medium chill approach had worked well for me. That is, until mosaic started becoming more than just a hobby. I'm at a point now where I feel like I have two careers. Mosaic is no longer something I pick away at just for fun when I feel like it; I have goals and commitments and it is now work that I take seriously. Enjoyable work, but work nonetheless. When I've got something like a show to prep for, or the city residency a few years ago, it suddenly gets a bit overwhelming and I can feel that carefully cultivated balance slipping away. Of course I don't work the equivalent of two full-time jobs if you look at it on an hours-per-week basis. But as the hours at the office and the hours in the studio pile up, I suddenly feel myself going into survival mode and edging closer and closer to burnout. And here's where the environmental and social angles come in…
When I'm tired and have no spare time, I stop doing some of the simple things I normally do that help reduce my environmental footprint and/or contribute to my community. I favour quick trips in the car for efficiency's sake, rather than taking the time to walk or take public transit (which is doubly sad because I really really love walking). I stop making things from scratch, like oat milk, hummus, jam, and laundry detergent. I withdraw from family, friends, and my community, getting panicky at the suggestion of spending time with people or going to an event (basically anything that would mean time away from my studio).
A few years ago, I read an article called "We need to work less to live better," which explored the social and environmental benefits of working less (specifically, a four-day work week). Employers experimenting with this model found staff were more productive and focused. Not only did they have to be more efficient with their time to accomplish a full week's work in just four days, but that extra day off gave them more time to sort out their personal to-dos, so there were fewer distractions at the office. People called in sick less. And there was an overall uptick in self-reported work-life balance and satisfaction.
There are definitely good business reasons to do this. But it's also good for the community and the environment. The first obvious environmental benefit is people commuting one day less each week—an instant reduction in greenhouse gases and air pollution. With more time to themselves, people can do those things that are perhaps less convenient but that help reduce their environmental footprint (and are often very enjoyable). Things like gardening, making food from scratch (and not relying on over-packaged meals and take-out), taking a slower mode of transportation, spending time fixing things rather than just throwing them out and buying new ones, and the list goes on. They also have more time to get involved in their community. They can volunteer, become more active in local politics, and simply spend more time cultivating those social bonds that are so important in building sustainability and resilience.
So when R booked a trip to Oaxaca for a work conference and I couldn't tag along (see above re: not being able to sacrifice time away from the studio), I decided I would take those four days off from my day job and use them to make a mosaic. A four-day mosaic. This would be my little experiment with working less to live better. Four glorious days of only working one job. Thirty-two hours to work with focus, and then my off hours were mine to do with as I pleased. To me it sounded like a dream.
I decided I would actually make four mosaics—one a day—on 8.5" x 11" substrates (the same size as a standard sheet of paper, for any international readers), as a nod to my day job. The material is a mix of neutrals leftover from various projects. If I was really going to embrace the idea of working less to live better, I wasn't going to spend time cutting for this project.
I broke my days into eight one-hour increments. I'd set a timer, work until it ran out, then stretch, regroup, and start again. Because I usually work in stolen hours in the evenings and on weekends, I didn't have a good idea of what I could accomplish in eight hours. I did know, however, that I didn't want to work at a harried pace, just trying to fill as much space as possible. I would work at a reasonable pace, allowing myself to linger in the pleasure of building my lines. I also wanted to signal the passage of time visually in the mosaics, so at the start of every hour, I put in a bit of gold. The number of pieces I used corresponds to the hour of my workday (e.g., if I was starting my fourth hour, I'd put in four pieces of gold).
Gold marking the hours
Each day had a bit of a theme, because I couldn't fathom doing the same thing for four days straight; I think that would have been boring for both you and for me. Day 1 I just wanted to settle in and feel the increments of time. So I did one grouping of lines each hour, almost like paragraphs. By Day 2 I was feeling a bit more relaxed, both about the pace of my work and also about being away from the office. So that day was all about slowing down and allowing myself to breathe. Day 3 I devoted to the connections that can happen when you're not spending all your waking hours at work. Not that this brief four-day hiatus allowed me to go out and build a whole whack of social connections, but I did sit down and pen a handwritten letter to a dear friend, so I think that counts. And Day 4 was simply about pleasure, adventure, and play. I took what, in mosaic terms, is basically just a meandering eight-hour walk around my substrate. (In real life, I mirrored this with several leisurely walks a day with our dog.)
"Balance (Day 1: Time)"
"Balance (Day 2: Breath)"
"Balance (Day 3: Connections)"
"Balance (Day 4: Play)"
These mosaics are intentionally simple, in keeping with the idea of the medium chill—of hopping off that aspirational treadmill where we're constantly striving for the next biggest, best, shiniest thing. Can I do more groundbreaking work? Sure, and I've done it before and I'll do it again. But in the context of this particular mosaic about this particular issue, there was something deeply satisfying about remixing good but simple andamento in four different ways and just getting lost in the simplicity and pleasure of creating the lines.
Sometimes simplicity is just what the doctor ordered
I'm not sure I have any earth-shattering revelations after four days of actually having some semblance of work-life balance. But I definitely felt a shift as the days progressed. I was calmer, more relaxed, and had more energy. My mind actually started wandering to the various projects around the house I wanted to tackle, and I found myself wanting to go out walking or biking, or do some gardening (if only the weather had been cooperative), or actually—gasp!—see friends and family. I am committed to trying to find a bit more balance, somehow, because when I'm well rested and when I have time, I'm happier, healthier, kinder to the planet, and a much better citizen, in the most global sense there is.
On the frontline: A mosaic honouring environmental defenders
By Julie Sperling on March 14, 2019 in By Our Own Hands
Every week, about 4 people are killed for standing up to those (predominantly industry of various stripes) who are encroaching on their traditional lands and resources, threatening the environment and their very survival. That adds up to hundreds of lives each year. More often than not, their killers go unpunished as land grabs and environmental exploitation advance, leaving death and destruction in their wake.
The non-profit Global Witness has been tracking these murders for several years, and the numbers are sobering, especially given the fact that their conservative methodology means that the number of environmental defenders killed worldwide annually is likely much much higher. The latest report available is from 2017 (the 2018 report will likely be out later this summer). In 2017 there were 201 killings worldwide, with the agribusiness and mining sectors responsible for the most murders (40 each). Latin America was the most dangerous place for defenders, particularly Brazil.
While the report tracks murders, it should be noted that there are many other forms of intimidation used by the perpetrators, including death threats, arrests, abductions, sexual assault, blackmail, illegal surveillance, and much more. The killings are just the (very gruesome) tip of the iceberg. All too often, the government and military are actively complicit in these killings and pressure tactics or, at the very least, the status quo in these countries—widespread impunity and corruption, lack of participation in decision-making, and lack of free and prior consent by the affected communities, etc.—enables the violence.
I've been waiting three years to make this mosaic. The issue planted itself firmly in my brain in 2016 with the assassination of Berta Cáceres, one of Honduras' most prominent environmental activists and winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize. Cáceres co-founded the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) and before her murder had been working with the Lenca people to stop the Agua Zarca dam, which would have affected the Gualcarque River, a sacred river for the Lenca people. The dam would have diverted 3 kilometres of river, displacing communities and jeopardizing their water resources and livelihoods. COPINH employed many tactics to stop the construction of the dam, most notably a blockade that lasted over a year. In the end, Cáceres, who had been receiving death threats for years, was shot and killed in her home. In November 2018, seven men were convicted of her murder. Among those convicted were two employees of the construction company, DESA (one of whom was, ironically enough, the company's "community and environmental affairs manager"), a retired military officer turned DESA employee, and an active military officer. DESA's then-CEO is being tried separately this year.
"For Berta (They Fear Us Because We Are Fearless)" (2019), 16″ x 16″ — shell casings, shale, smalti, stained glass
When I was conceptualizing this mosaic, it wasn't with Berta, specifically, in mind. Though her murder was what first put the issue on my radar, with this mosaic I wanted to talk about environmental defenders as a whole. The bullets were a no-brainer, as was the spiky shale surrounding them. In trying to depict violence clashing with nature (and its defenders), I chose to use a beautiful piece of Youghiogheny glass that was leftover from my time in Ireland. Not only were the colours right, with the greens and blues, but its ties to a series of sacred spaces intimately tied to the notion of Place also seemed appropriate given the fierce defence of place that results in the death of so many defenders. I left it in big chunks, trying to get at the notion of undisturbed, unfragmented nature being threatened by the encroaching lines of shale.
A look at the chunks of Youghiogheny glass
There are a few things about this mosaic that give me chills every time I think about them. The title was chosen a few hours after the piece was complete, as a nod to Berta and what an important figure she was (and continues to be) in terms of environmental and human rights defenders. And it wasn't until after the title was chosen that I realized all of the following:
First, I finished this piece on March 3, which is the anniversary of Berta's murder. I had been working toward a March 3 finish date—and honestly, I thought I would finish several days later—because the next day was my 40th birthday and I liked the idea of starting a new decade with a clean work table.
Second, Berta and I both share a birthday (March 4), which R realized a few days after I had finished the piece.
And third, the face in the mosaic is 100% unintentional. As I was making it, R said she saw a face, but I never saw it until I brought the completed mosaic upstairs to show her, and then it just hit me in a classic lightbulb moment. And while it's not an exact match to Berta's profile, my god there are elements that line up.
Unintentional profile
Years ago I read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic" (which I loved), and she talked about this sort of magical side to creativity and inspiration. At the time I was like, "Sure, yah, I guess," but couldn't really relate. Well, I'm a believer now.
This mosaic is a bit different from the others in this series so far, in that it's decidedly human. Not that the other issues I tackle don't have a human element, but this one puts it front and centre. This was important for me, because I was concerned that focusing solely on the physical impacts on the planet and its systems would remove humans from the equation, distancing us from or absolving us of the destruction we have brought about. There will definitely be more mosaics focusing on the social dimension in this series. The large-scale exploitation and destruction at the root of the Anthropocene are perpetrated by humans and affect humans, and it will be up to us humans to turn things around.
This mosaic, for me, caused a fair bit of reflection and introspection. I mean, we're talking about being so hungry for resources and profits and cheap goods (and more, more, more!) that we'll stop at nothing, including taking the lives of hundreds of innocent people who simply stand up for their land, their culture, and their livelihood. Obviously, a cheap smartphone or a cheap hamburger isn't worth killing people for. (Yet we do it.) Stopping to consider both the social and environmental costs of our choices is important. But for me, this mosaic also got me thinking about how much I'm willing to sacrifice to live a more environmentally sustainable life. Do my choices inconvenience me? Make me a little less comfortable? Cost more money? Yes to all (though they also enrich my life, which will be the subject of future mosaics), especially if I were to push even further, which I undoubtedly can. But that is nothing compared to Berta's sacrifice and those of other defenders.
Making art in the hope that a solution to ocean plastics isn't our white whale
By Julie Sperling on February 16, 2019 in By Our Own Hands
In November 2018, a dead sperm whale washed up on an Indonesian shore. It had 5.9 kilograms of plastic waste in its stomach. Drinking cups, pop bottles, flip flops, plastic bags, and other assorted bits of plastic. This was not the first nor the most plastic-laden whale to wash up. For example, there was a whale that washed up in Spain with nearly 30 kilograms of plastic in its stomach. And then there were the 13 whales that washed up in Germany with things like a 13-metre long fishing net and a 70-centimetre piece of plastic from a car in their stomachs, among other things. Oh and let's not forget the whale that died in Thailand with 80 plastic bags (and other plastic items) in its stomach. In comparison, 5.9 kilograms seems like child's play, which is a crazy thing to say.
In planning the lineup for my upcoming solo show, I had already left a placeholder for a mosaic about ocean plastics. I know, I know, it seems like I only just made a mosaic about how the oceans aren't the only game in town when it comes to plastics. But in planning a show about the Anthropocene, I couldn't ignore this issue, especially when you consider the staggering statistics. Like the fact that we're dumping about 8 million tonnes of plastic into the oceans every year, and this number could double by 2025 if we don't take action. The ocean currents collect this plastic into five gigantic gyres, the biggest of which—the Great Pacific Garbage Patch—is three times the size of France and growing. It contains 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic.
So, needless to say, ocean plastics earned their spot in my lineup. I initially thought the piece was going to be inspired by the statistic about the oceans having more plastic than fish by 2050 if current trends continue. But as soon as I read the story about that whale, I knew this was the plastics piece I was meant to create and that it was going to be called "In The Belly Of The Whale".
Can you find the unintentional fish? Didn't mean for it to get in there, but I love that it happened.
So I rounded up all the random bits of plastic I could find in the house, plus those I had already squirrelled away in my studio, and got to work. There are utensils, the caps from nut milk cartons, zip ties, contact lens packaging, old skin lotion containers, the plungers from syringes we use to give the dog his meds, strips of plastic bags, and so many other random goodies (baddies?).
"In The Belly Of The Whale" (2019), 24″h x 30″w — plastic and styrofoam
For me, the dangling strips of plastic hanging from the belly of the whale (who is, of course, belly up…sorry to be such a downer), are kind of like a strange new species of seaweed made of microplastics. Now, of course whales don't eat seaweed, but it speaks to how plastics are worming their way into the food web at all levels. They get in at the top when they get mistaken for food and eaten whole (those plastic bags look an awfully lot like jellyfish). And they insert themselves at the bottom once they've been broken down into smaller micro- and nanoplastics and taken up by things like plankton, insects, fish, birds, etc. So organisms at the top of the food web get a sort of double exposure, as they get tricked into eating whole plastic items, plus their normal food now also contains plastics that have been concentrating in predators and prey right up the food chain.
Tentacles!
So the bad news is that we probably can't filter out the plastics that have already made their way into the ocean, especially the microscopic bits. But we can stem the flow of plastics into the oceans, because the vast majority of the plastic that ends up there comes from sources on land (e.g., it's not from marine activities, like fishing vessels). I've already provided a list of easy actions you can take in my post about freshwater microplastics, but here's a refresher:
Nix the bottled water.
Carry a travel mug and even travel utensils. For instance, I have a very strict rule for myself: if I can't get it in a "for here" mug and if I don't have my travel mug with me, I don't get to buy a coffee. Pretty good motivation to have that mug with you!
Take a hard look at what you buy and how it's packaged, and look for alternatives, like taking your own reusable containers to the Bulk Barn (and thanks, Bulk Barn, for letting us bring our own containers!).
Just say no to plastic bags. (Your fruits and veggies will be just fine without one. Trust me.)
Watch what you wear. You can deal with microfibres up front (e.g., limiting your nylon or fleece duds) or you can grab something to catch the rogue fibres in the wash.
Use beeswax cloth instead of plastic wrap.
Break up with any of your toiletries that contain microbeads.
One thing you can do: recycle properly (if you can't eliminate the plastic in the first place)
I hate that I find these plastic bits so inspiring, artistically speaking. It unsettles me. And that's probably a good thing, because while I try to be conscientious about what I buy and to limit the plastic I use, it's still surprising how much of it creeps into my life. Working on this mosaic made entirely of plastic—the majority of which was just from our house—has served as a good reminder to me that I can (and will!) do better.
Knotted strips of plastic bag in with the plastic bits
A problem in three dimensions: Mountaintop removal mining, mosaic, and the Anthropocene
By Julie Sperling on January 22, 2019 in By Our Own Hands
The characteristics and impacts of the Anthropocene are so diverse and all-encompassing that I'm hard-pressed to think of even one aspect of our lives and the planet we inhabit that remain unscathed. As an artist engaged in big issues like the Anthropocene (and climate change), I will never run out of material to draw on. This is both a blessing (as much as you can consider the destruction of our planet a blessing…) and a curse, in that some days it can get a little overwhelming trying to decide what particular angle to tackle next.
But sometimes an issue just grabs you and won't let go. Three years ago, a scientific study popped up on my radar and has been gently but incessantly nudging my creative subconscious ever since, until I was finally able to turn my attention to it in the studio. That study was one out of Duke University that quantified the destruction that mountaintop removal (MTR) mining has wreaked on Appalachia.
"Then They Took The Mountains" (2019), 22″ diameter — sandstone, marble, calcite, petrified wood, limestone, shale, schist, smalti
You might think it's weird that a study about Appalachia would grab this Canadian's attention, when there are clearly similarly destructive practices happening here at home (I'm looking at you, tar sands). Don't worry: I can assure you that I am equally horrified by the scale of destruction brought about by the tar sands operations. But what drew me to this study about MTR mining was one specific thing: the researchers quantified the problem in three dimensions. And that just kind of blew my mind. They argued that the impacts of the practice couldn't be adequately described in terms of just the land area disturbed (e.g., the number of square kilometres destroyed), like we do for disturbances like deforestation. To properly capture the impact of this particular mining practice, you also had to account for the topographical changes.
First things first: a little MTR mining 101. As its name suggests, coal companies literally blow the tops off mountains to get at the coal seams under them. How does this surface mining on steroids work? First, they take all the trees and soil off the mountain. Of course they don't put all that perfectly good timber to use. It just gets burned or illegally dumped in a valley, because to do otherwise would cut into their profits. Next, they drill deep holes in the top of the mountain, stuff them with explosives, and BOOM. These blasts remove hundreds of feet of mountaintop in one go. Then they bring in huge machines (22 storeys tall!) to clear away all the debris and scoop up the coal. They deal with the rubble from the blast by tossing it in the surrounding valleys.
Because this kind of mining takes the tops off mountains and puts them in valleys, the Duke researchers found that 40 years of the practice have profoundly flattened the region, up to 40% in some places. It has also made the slopes of the mountains 10% less steep.
The physical effects of mountaintop mining are much more similar to volcanic eruptions, where the entire landscape is fractured, deepened, and decoupled from prior landscape evolution trajectories, effectively resetting the clock on landscape and ecosystem coevolution.
Ross, McGlynn, Burnhardt, "Deep Impact: Effects of Mountaintop Mining on Surface Topography, Bedrock Structure, and Downstream Waters"
These changes are having profound impacts on how the landscape works. On the blown-away mountaintops (which are now more like plateaus), grasses tend to take over because the environment is no longer suited to forests. In the valleys, there's a definite change in how water flows (or doesn't), in its quality, and in the life it supports. Some studies have found that the surrounding waters have lost half their fish species. Water contamination is prevalent in local communities, where many residents can no longer use their well water for drinking, cooking, or bathing.
The rubble filling these valleys is no joke. Some of these so-called "valley fills" are the size of an Olympic swimming pool and some are the size of 10,000 Olympic swimming pools, which I can't even wrap my head around. They cover and block waterways, and the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that the fills have buried more miles of stream than the entire length of the Mississippi River.
Valley fill, mosaic style
As with many environmental issues, there are also deep connections to human health. The health impacts of MTR mining on the surrounding communities are troubling to say the least. One researcher found that there are about 1,200 excess deaths per year in communities affected by MTR mining compared to unaffected Appalachian communities. There is also evidence of birth defects and low birth weights. For instance, the risk of a heart defect is 181% higher in MTR areas than other areas.
The Obama administration had begun making progress to rein in these destructive practices and had commissioned public health studies as well. I don't need to tell you what has happened under the Trump administration. (If you really need a hint: the regulations and studies suffered the same fate as the poor mountaintops themselves…they got blown up.)
If you have 10 minutes, I highly recommend this short documentary by Human Rights Watch
For this mosaic, I created a mountainous substrate (but old mountains, like the Appalachians, not young jagged ones) and then cut the tops off them. I later used the tops to clog up the river valley winding its way between the mountains. You can see the river running under these fictitious valley fills, slowing to a trickle by the time it makes its way past all of them. While much of the meaning in the piece comes from the topography I created and altered, the process of building and covering the river was, for me, quite symbolic and imbued the mosaic with extra meaning.
Where the mountaintops used to be…
Those who get to explore this mosaic in person will see that the river continues under the inverted mountaintops, but you really have to peek around/under them. Looking only from directly above, you'd never guess how far under the rubble I actually mosaicked. To do this, I would first mosaic the river and surrounding banks, taking as much care as I normally would for a portion of the mosaic that was destined to be exposed and easily seen. Then I would cover these areas up with the chunks of mountaintop. Trust me, this was not easy to do. To see my careful work (often 2 or 3 hours' worth of work) vanish in a matter of minutes filled me with anxiety, sadness, doubt, and a feeling of loss. And this was how it had to be. The parallel with how those valley fills cover up ecosystems and landscapes that took millennia to evolve brings another layer of meaning to the piece.
Looking upstream toward the headwaters flowing unobstructed…but not for long
The river disappearing under the decapitated mountains
As an artist this piece stretched and challenged me, and the research for this blog post horrified me (but also made me even more thankful that I chose to explore this issue through my art). If the defining characteristic of the Anthropocene is that human activity is the dominant driver of change on the planet, then for me MTR mining is a perfect poster child for this new epoch and for the scope and scale of the challenge we have created for ourselves in our insatiable quest for cheap resources.
Hey oceans, it's not all about you: A mosaic to shine the light on freshwater microplastics
By Julie Sperling on January 4, 2019 in By Our Own Hands, Commission
Playing second fiddle is tough. Over the years, I've experienced it many times at my day job where, as luck would have it, my various files always seem to take a backseat to the Hot Issue of the day. While understandable, it sometimes gets frustrating jumping up and down, waving your arms, trying to convince people to pay attention to an issue that you know is important but that always seems to get overlooked.
I can't help but think that this is how people who work on freshwater microplastics feel. As I watch governments (mine included), industry, public sector organizations, and citizens band together to tackle ocean plastics, it seems like we're ignoring a very important part of the puzzle. Don't get me wrong: ocean plastics are a huge issue, but not to the exclusion of microplastics elsewhere, like our rivers and lakes, our fields and forests, and pretty much every wild place we hold dear (including the "wilderness" of our own bodies).
I consider myself pretty fortunate to work with lots of scientists, some of whom work directly on the issues of both ocean and freshwater microplastics. I get to see the work they're doing to understand and tackle this problem, and through their social media networks I also get a glimpse into what's going on in the broader research community. This was how the work of Chelsea Rochman and her lab at the University of Toronto popped up on my radar. An article she co-authored in The Conversation Canada was the direct inspiration for this commission, which was done for a client in Ottawa who is engaged in environmental work. (We're safely into 2019, which means I can finally share this piece with you, as it was commissioned as a Christmas gift.)
"Beyond Oceans" (2018), 10″h x 12″w — stained glass, smalti, plastic cutlery, shale, limestone, eramosa marble, mudstone
To bring you up to speed on microplastics: they're bits of plastic that are less than 5 mm long (think of a sesame seed or smaller). They come from a bunch of different sources, like the breakdown of larger plastics, microbeads in cosmetics, and even synthetic fibres in our clothing. And once they're in the environment, it's bad news. Wildlife—from bugs right up to mammals—can mistake them for food. The plastics fill their bellies, leaving no room for food. Sometimes they leach chemicals. And they can work their way up through the food web too, hopping between ecosystems and species, right onto our plates.
This mosaic, with its ribbon of "microplastics" (that plastic cutlery again!) weaving its way through a section of the Ottawa River, is quite simply me doing my bit to wave my arms and shout "Hey! Microplastics aren't just an oceans issue!" It's not that the oceans aren't important, it's just that microplastics are probably closer to home than you think (for us non-coastal dwellers) and our rivers and lakes—and forests and fields and mountains and tundra—deserve attention too.
Close-up of the microplastics
Bonus points: If you want to take action, it's actually not that hard. First, work on phasing out those disposable plastics from your life.
Second, when you see plastic litter, pick it up! (Plogging, anyone?) Then it doesn't have a chance to degrade and eventually become dinner (or get wrapped around some poor unsuspecting animal).
Not hard, right? Get to it!
Predictably unpredictable: A mosaic about the wild ride that awaits us
By Julie Sperling on December 20, 2018 in By Our Own Hands
The earth and its systems aren't 100% predictable at the best of times. There are always blips and surprises and occasionally big upheavals. But the more we push our planet to its limits, the less able its natural systems are to absorb the punches we're throwing at them. Eventually, they will crack.
Little blips among the calm…
The closer you get to these tipping points, the more sensitive the whole system gets, and everyone and everything along for the ride is more vulnerable. Then finally something pushes it over the edge, there's chaos, and then the system sort of reorganizes itself and finds a new equilibrium. You might be thinking: "OK, so we just have to deal with a little bit of wonkiness and then things will settle down." But just because the planet and its systems settle down into a new stable "normal" state, it doesn't mean we're going to like it. What if an open bottle of wine's two possible stable states are upright, or on its side with wine spilled everywhere? Stable isn't necessarily desirable.
I've already explored the self-reinforcing feedback loops that can lead to these abrupt shifts in the state of a system as part of my climate change series. Indeed, pretty much all of the tipping points scientists talk about are related to the climate, because the climate system is so influential in terms of the functioning of the planet. Some examples of the tipping points they talk about are the disappearance of the polar ice sheets, the increasingly unpredictable summer monsoon seasons in India and West Africa, or the dieback of the Amazon rainforest (and there are plenty more for you to lose sleep over if you're curious). While ice caps, monsoons, and rainforests might seem fairly far removed from our daily lives, the problem with these tipping points is that they cascade into other spheres of our lives. They ripple into people's basic survival, into the economy, into our social fabric, into geopolitics, into life as we know it. They trigger sea-level rise, water shortages, the loss of property and livelihood, threats to health and human security, and on and on. And if they result in untenable living situations locally, then there is of course the possibility of conflict and climate refugees that will extend the reach of these tipping points beyond borders.
"Surprise Is The New Normal" (2018), 13.5″w x 19.5″h x 3.5″d — marble, smalti, glass, shell, coral, quartz, desert rose, apophyllite, sea spines, porcupine quills, wire, earphones, USB cable, styrofoam, various plastic, rubber bands, knob and tube, lightbulb, harp string ends
The earth's systems are approaching these tipping points and are losing their buffering ability, so we're going to need to learn to expect the unexpected as it relates to the most basic aspects of our lives and the natural foundation upon which they're built. This mosaic is all about that new, unstable, uncertain norm we find ourselves in. Set against a backdrop of stable white marble (sort of like calming regular white noise) you see glitches and protrusions everywhere. At the bottom they're small and almost imperceptible, and all made of natural materials. But as you move up, these surprises grow bigger and more frequent, and by the very top they are the rule instead of the exception. They're also entirely composed of man-made materials: plastic, headphones, a broken lightbulb, glass, styrofoam, a zipper pull, the ends of harp strings (I know, right? Surprise!!), and so much more.
Gazing from the bottom, with its natural surprises, up toward the top
Surprise! Oh yes, that's the top of a harp string!
And here's a fun fact about the red smalti highlighting each irregularity: it was rescued from Italian maestro Verdiano Marzi's trash bin by friend and fellow mosaic bad-ass Sophie Drouin. Talk about the interconnectedness and unpredictability of all things! In chaos theory (where the idea of tipping points come from), the classic example is a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a tornado elsewhere in the world. Or, in this case, one of Verdiano's Winged Victories flaps its wings in France and, well, you know the rest of the story.
Those spikey things on the right? Porcupine quills.
Broken lightbulb and earbud, among other man-made surprises
Long story short: Surprise will be the new norm going forward, so buckle up, because we're in for a wild ride. Adjusting to the uncertainty of the Anthropocene and the stress it brings will test the limits of our societies. We are going to have to adapt all of our systems—political, economic, social, cultural—to be flexible and resilient in the face of all the uncertainty headed our way. On the upside, this really is the chance for a great reimagining of a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society.
It's hard to pick a favourite surprise, but the zipper pull might be mine.
Can you find the pieces of styrofoam tucked in there like they belong?
From the edge of chaos, looking back into the calm
From there to here: A mosaic about the driving forces behind the Anthropocene
By Julie Sperling on September 5, 2018 in By Our Own Hands
How did we get here? That's the question at the heart of my mosaic, "The Three Horsemen". It's not an angsty, existential question. It's a specific question, where the "here" is the Anthropocene. So, how did we get here, to a point in geologic time that's the equivalent of a dumpster fire for which humans are to blame?
I'll be diving into the hallmarks of this new geological age in future mosaics, covering such uplifting topics as altered nutrient cycles, invasive species, mass extinctions, erosion, pollution of all kinds, sea-level rise, and so much more. But I figured that I should probably take a look at the journey first before immersing myself in the destination. Thus, "The Three Horsemen," or, how we got here.
There are plenty of different combinations of factors that you could argue brought us to this point, and indeed, each article I read when researching this mosaic was sort of a variation on a theme. But the one that resonated with me, both intellectually and artistically, was from a 2016 article in Science by Colin Waters et al. The authors identify three "linked force multipliers" that produce many of the drivers associated with the hallmarks of the Anthropocene: (1) accelerated technological development, (2) population increase (and a shift to urbanization), and (3) increased consumption of resources (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals and metals, etc.).
These force multipliers really emerge onto the scene in a big way in the 1950s, just after WWII, in a period known as the Great Acceleration. It's in this period that we see a rise in economic activity and resource consumption that prompts all the upswings in the global distress signals that are characteristic of the Anthropocene (see: list above of future mosaic plans).
"The Three Horsemen" (2018), 22″ diameter — Slag, lightbulb innards, shale, mortar tesserae, cement, marble, knob and tube, earphones, limestone, red dog, brick, architectural glass, ceramic, smalti, circuit board, resistors, coal, hard rubber, gears
"The Three Horsemen" (a nod to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) takes these force multipliers and the Great Acceleration and turns them into an explosion. At the epicenter is a big chunk of slag that my dad brought back from his days working at Inco (a mine, mill, smelter, and refinery of all kinds of metals up in Sudbury, ON). Creeping out from under it are the innards of burnt-out incandescent lightbulbs (now relics of the past). From the start, these have always given me the heebie-jeebies; I find them very unsettling, though in a good way when put in context of this piece.
They're coming to get you…
And then the impact ripples out in successive waves of Anthropocene materials. For technological development, there are circuit boards, resistors, two pairs of earbuds that (of course) broke far too soon, bits of hard rubber, gears from an old shredder, and the ends of bolts (which I saved each time I trimmed the hanging hardware on the back of a mosaic, you know, just in case…). For population increase and urbanization, we've got mortar and concrete, brick, some old dishes, and architectural glass samples. And for resource consumption (notably energy and metals), there's the slag and incandescents, of course, but then there's also knob and tube insulators, shale, coal, and a wee tiny bit of gold. (Click to embiggen any of the detail shots below!)
E-waste scattered about
A wire knot that was inside one of the earbuds!
Outer edge, with hard rubber, bits of earbud, circuit board, and more!
So this is how we got here: an explosion of people using things, aided and abetted by technology. Like all of my work, that tension between the sobering and the beautiful is here again, and I find that it is especially appropriate when talking about the Anthropocene. Thinking and talking about this issue will inevitably stir up conflicting feelings. I freely admit that I look at cities and their feats of architecture and engineering, and even at industrial sites, and often swoon at their hard lines and complex beauty. I appreciate the convenience of driving my car and having a house that's neither too hot nor too cold. And don't get me started on my phone and computer and all the other tech gadgets in my life. But there is always a little voice in my head, reminding me that all of this comes at a price. And that tension and dichotomy is what I try to channel in my work. Yep, these are good-looking mosaics. There's a calmness and an elegance to them. But let them draw you in…look closer…and you'll find a darker, more sobering side.
Side view of the rippling explosion
Inches From Famine
Work Less To Live Better
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Preventing Child Lead Exposure by Window Replacement Project Funder: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Project Partners: NYU School of Medicine, NYC Health Department, Oneida County Health Department, and local weatherization agencies Project Description: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of NIH awarded a grant to implement lead-safe window replacement and build collaboration with local health departments and Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme weatherization activities.
The grant will fund three efforts: 1. New York State Demonstration Projects: NYU and NCHH will partner with New York City and Oneida County to compare the effectiveness, cost, and Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme savings of weatherization work with and without window replacement. The hypothesis is that greater energy savings and lead hazard reduction benefits can be realized with lead-safe window replacement.
2. Outreach Communication: This effort will produce documents that explain energy savings and lead hazard reduction benefits of lead-safe window replacement. Although many government agencies and Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme organizations are devoted to promoting child health initiatives, energy efficiency, and affordable housing, this outreach effort is unique in its commitment to communicating how energy efficient healthy housing investments can serve multiple policy objectives.
3. Partnership Building: This "Windows of Opportunity" effort will build capacity and trust between local communities, researchers, government officials, mortgage underwriters, utilities, and foundations, as well as, partnerships between window manufacturers, government-assisted rehab Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme and weatherization grantees, researchers, mortgage underwriters, home inspectors and appraisers, utilities, and foundations in order to achieve energy conservation and public health goals.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided substantial funding for a variety of housing and energy programs that could be used to support this effort. The near-term goal is to leverage Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme and coordinate these ARRA funds to achieve multiple benefits from shared costs. The long-term goal is to establish market-based systems driven by informed consumers that demand for more energy efficient and healthy housing.
The initiative will also document costs, verify expected benefits, and evaluate evidence of potential benefits. The Lead Safe Window Replacement Strategy The lead safe window replacement strategy was designed to realize the long-term energy savings Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme and lead hazard reduction benefits of window replacement and protect against other lead paint hazards.
Windows have the highest levels of lead in paint of any building component, lead paint chips are common in old window troughs, Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme and friction surfaces on old windows create lead dust hazards even in homes without any deteriorated lead paint. Lead paint was banned after 1978, double-pane windows became widely used in cold climates in the 1980s, and low-e windows that reduce solar gain to save on air conditioning costs became common in the 1990s.
As a result, single-pane windows in older housing are good indicators of lead paint hazards and inefficient energy use. Combining lead safe window replacement with other weatherization can reduce energy bills by 50%, increase home market value, Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme and could also reduce the risk of asthma and other housing-related health risks.
This study is the first to estimate the effectiveness of lead hazard controls and window treatments more than a decade after their implementation, making it the longest time period ever to examine the durability of residential lead hazard control. Specifically, Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme this study will be the first to compare the effects of window replacement versus other window treatments and lead hazard control methods.
While window replacement has emerged as an increasingly popular form of lead hazard control in HUD's lead hazard control grant program, there has been no study to date that has examined window replacement per se. Earlier studies have tended to combine window replacement with other window lead hazard controls, such as installation of jamb liners and trough and Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme sill enclosure/cap systems, resulting in lack of knowledge about the relative merits of window replacement versus window repair.
Analysis of data from a six-year follow-up study suggests that dwellings with window replacement tend to have lower floor dust lead loadings. If this preliminary finding is confirmed by this study and continues with time, the study will provide empirical evidence that window replacement not only removes lead paint from the home and reduces window dust lead loadings, Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme but also influences floor dust lead.
The University of Rochester, Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation, and the Cleveland Tenants Association Project Description: NCHH is serving as a consultant to the Alliance for Healthy Homes on this project, to analyze data for hundreds of dwelling units in nine jurisdictions across the U.S. that were found to have lead hazards in 2003-2005.
While all of the units had floor or window sill lead dust hazards, only some units received lead hazard repairs. The aim of the program under which the data were collected was to motivate repairs through clear identification of lead hazards; Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme the project did not have funds for lead hazard control. The longevity and effectiveness of the lead hazard repairs are analyzed for a subset of units.
This study marks the first time that effectiveness of lead hazard repairs performed in the context of participation by residents and Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme community members (not local government) has been analyzed. In this study, community-based organizations are collecting lead samples in units previously investigated, and conducting structured interviews.
Existing research has quantified the long-term effectiveness of government-funded lead hazard control projects. Yet there is little Preventing Child Lead Exposure By Window Replaceme information about non-governmental community-based efforts. This research will answer the question about whether lead hazards persist in high-risk housing in places where there are no federal funds or that are not served well by government programs.


With the xMatters IBM Tivoli integration, the appropriate technician can be notified directly via voice, email, pager or other device. Information about the failure will be presented to the event resolver and decisions can be made in real-time. Once a response is selected on the recipient's remote device, xMatters will update the Tivoli SRM incident in real- time.
During the process, every notification, response, and action is logged in xMatters. In addition, xMatters automatically annotates the original Tivoli SRM incident with status information.
View more information on IBM's Tivoli product here.


SARA was founded in 1973, with its then headquarters at Tutshill, which is near the current Beachley station. In 1976 SARA became a registered charity and purchased its first boat in 1977.
In 1985 SARA became an official Mountain Rescue Post in the role of Cliff rescue for the Wye valley. A year later in 1986 a second station was opened at Sharpness. This was primarily in response to a tragic loss of life in the Sharpness area.
In June 2005 a new station was opened at Upper Arley in the Wyre Forest. SARA Wyre Forest operates in the largest geographical area of the four stations covering Shropshire, Worcestershire and parts of Herefordshire and the West Midlands county.
Following the 2007 floods, SARA decided to form a new station in Tewkesbury. The Tewkesbury station is SARA's fourth station and provides both Water and Land based Search and Rescue services. The station opened in October 2009 following the donation of a unit for 2 years from local company Basepoint, and then formed the UK's first joint Water Rescue Centre with Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.


Among the highlights of Enfield's cultural calendar are the twice-yearly poetry readings held in Palmers Green.
The spring 2019 reading on 27th April will include the North London launch of a new collection by Myra Schneider, a founding member of the Poetry in Palmers Green group and a poet renowned for her ability to find deep meaning in everyday experience and balance despair at the state of the world with humour and hope gained from personal experience.
I met Myra in her house overlooking Arnos Park, where she has lived since 1965. "I love nature," she says. "I grew up on the edge of the moors in Scotland and I miss the countryside.
Myra had been writing poetry since her teenage years when, in around 1960, she was invited to join a group of well-known poets. However, they were "very precious and male-orientated" and this, she said, "put me off writing poetry for quite a long time". Instead she started to write novels.
The books were written for children, drawing on Myra's experience of bringing up a child and later working at a day centre on the Grahame Park Estate in Colindale, where her difficult but rewarding tasks included teaching deaf people.
Myra returned to poetry when Margaret Thatcher arrived in Downing Street and cut funding for libraries, cancelling novels designed to encourage teenagers to read. Her first collection of poetry, Fistful of Yellow Hope, was published in 1984.
I ask Myra what writing poetry means for her. She says: "I do it because I'm a compulsive writer. I think it's a way to make sense of life, to give meaning to life, so to me poetry is deeply spiritual.
"That doesn't mean it has to be serious and heavy. Humour can be useful in making a serious point – it can drive things without people noticing what has happened.
"Sound is important in poetry. The strict formal rules and metric writing have largely gone – that's fine – but you must have some sort of form, some sort of music, some sort of rhythm. A lot of poetry isn't doing that, or it may be obscure, and I think poetry should be understandable.
Myra's new book is Lifting the Sky, named after a Qigong exercise. The theme is survival. In the last and longest poem – Edge – the first-person narrator goes through a period of intense depression and breakdown but eventually emerges renewed. It is fictional, but draws on Myra's own spell of serious depression.
Narrative poems are a feature of Myra's collections, perhaps reflecting her earlier novel-writing phase. Sometimes they re-envision legends; in her version of the Minotaur legend the story is turned on its head.
I ask Myra about the Palmers Green Bookshop and the origins of Poetry in Palmers Green.
"Joanna Cameron managed the bookshop and put on poetry readings – she made it very much a social centre. When it closed she and I and Katherine Gallagher started Poetry in Palmers Green. We had readings in Palmers Green United Reformed Church, then in St John's Church and now in St John's Parish Centre.


Mafia District has an area of about 2,829.6 Ht for grazing 2,829 animal unit. Grazed animals which are found in Mafia include cattle, sheep, goats, chicken and donkeys. All of these are mainly used for subsistence and commercial purposes. Currently the district has 14,429 grazed animals (11,543.2 units). For a ratio of 2.5 Ht for 1 unit we need an area of 4,617. For the time being the district has an extra number of grazed animals of about 10,892.75.
The district has an area covered with water of about 565km2 which is used for fisheries activities. A total of 1,325.375 tonnes has been fished for the year 2014/15 in which a large percentage is sold in Dar es Salaam Ferry Fish Market. The district has organs which deal with management of the fisheries resources which include Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP) in the Southern part and Beach Management Unity (BMU) in the Northern part. The BMUs are 10 in number in 10 villages whose major role is to make sure the fisheries resources in their respective areas are used properly for the benefits of the present and future generation.


This is my recap of my time at Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire. This was my first middle distance triathlon and first Ironman event, I was using this race as a bridge between the sprint distance and full Ironman which I am taking on next month.
2017 WHAT A MIXED BAG.
This is my review of how things went for me during 2017. This was my second year of running, but really the first year where I actually had some structure to it.
After July's GoTri this was my first attempt at a Sprint distance triathlon and forms part of my continuing training towards a full Ironman in Bolton next July.
OPEN WATER SWIMMING: LIKE A DUCK TO WATER?
Having signed up for Ironman UK it is time to get some open water swimming experience. I have had 4 weeks of pool swimming which has seen my confidence and speed grow, now its time to take it outside!


Today's photo is of the intersection of Twelfth Street (Tucker) and Chouteau Avenue in the 1920s.
This is just a stone's throw from the drop off point of Metro's special Mardi Gras Shuttle, running from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. tomorrow. Click here for all of the details and have a wild (and safe) Mardi Gras!
This is Tucker and Chouteau, right? The white building on the right corner still exists, but has been wrapped in ugly red brick.
Dunno about the date – somewhere around 1920?
Ooh, you beat me to it. Twelfth Street National Bank.


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Pushing China to peak emissions early could be bad for climate
Forcing an emissions peak in China too soon could damage global efforts to tackle climate change, says climate economist Guan Dabo
While China has made impressive gains in energy efficiency, these have been largely negated by increases in activities like mining and metal-smelting, says Guan (Image by Wu Haitao / Greenpeace)
Pushing China to peak its greenhouse-gas emissions too soon could damage global efforts to tackle climate change by driving industry to less efficient countries, a Chinese climate economist has argued.
Guan Dabo of the UK's University of East Anglia told chinadialogue that China's experience serving as the factory of the world for two decades had meant "many mistakes and many gains", which would be crucial for tackling rising emissions.
"If any other country, say India, becomes China the second, then it will take maybe another 20 years to learn what China has already achieved," said Guan, who has published a seven-year study of Chinese emissions patterns in the journal Nature Climate Change.
"I would say as long as emissions growth is slowing down, that is fine, rather than asking China to peak – because we want to end [carbon] leakage to other countries."
However, Guan, who is professor in climate change and international development at UEA, argued that an absolute cap on Chinese emissions would be necessary to get the country's economy onto a more sustainable footing. He said he was "optimistic" about progress on this front at the UN climate-change conference in Paris next year, highlighting the possibility that China's wealthiest places including Beijing and Shanghai would commit to regional caps.
The country's ongoing experiment in emissions trading, which involves preliminary emissions caps for seven regions, is likely to pave the way towards a system of absolute targets, he added.
Guan's research indicates that China's current climate-change goals, which focus on intensity of emissions (carbon dioxide produced per unit of GDP) are failing to drive effective mitigation in the context of surging, heavy-industry led economic growth.
This is because the country's boom has boosted emissions-intensive activities like mining, metal smelting and coal-fired power generation, negating even impressive carbon-efficiency gains made during the same period, he argues. Inner Mongolia, for example, achieved a 159% efficiency improvement between 2002 and 2009. But a 14-fold jump in cement production and metal smelting left it with a net efficiency gain of just 18%.
On a national level, China's carbon intensity fell by 5% in the first half of 2014, according to official figures. But Guan said China had locked itself into an emissions-intensive investment cycle and progress could prove to be temporary in the absence of more fundamental restructuring of the economy.
The country has been building more airports, high-speed rail tracks and expressways than the market can absorb, he said, pointing out that China now has 90% of the world's toll roads. But despite this excess capacity, investment in heavy industry continues: "It's the wrong signal to the domestic market – we need more cement, we need more steel. So there will be more cement and steel factories built."
让经济学发挥作用
想要抵消中国甚至是全世界碳排放量最经济实在的办法,就是签订基于科学证明的协议来要求各国在沙漠里种植适于当地气候的食物和饲料。这样不仅仅可以获得联合国认证的碳排放抵消证书,还能解决二三亿人口的贫困与饥饿。这才是付诸实践的经济学。
If we want to offset China's or the world's carbon emissions in the most economical way we need to sign a science based protocol which requires each country to grow food and fodder adapted to climate change in the desert. This will not only gain UN carbon credits but also resolve the poverty and hunger of 2-3 billion people. This is economics in action.
China 'not ready to be a world leader' on climate change
China is not ready to lead climate deal, says Chinese academic, but will be far more active in lead-up to the UN summit in Paris than it was in Copenhagen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Girls Hope
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Karen came to Girls Hope at the age of 12. She attended St. Joseph's for grade school and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart for high school, where she was involved in the theater program and track and field. Karen described the Girls Hope program as helpful and she is grateful for what the program was able to provide her. "To me, Girls Hope means a safe place for girls to live, and gain access to opportunities that they otherwise may not have had access to at home." The Girls Hope program provided Karen the opportunity to meet many strong, positive role models, who helped shape her into the woman she is today. "Girls Hope has enabled me to succeed, and taught me that you can overcome any obstacles in your path if you work at it long enough and hard enough." Karen earned a degree in Fine … [Read more...]
Dayna began her journey at Girls Hope at the age of 14 – just two days before she started high school, where she attended Quigley Catholic High School. In high school, Dayna participated in many school functions, had a great group of friends, and enjoyed ending her days with family dinner at Girls Hope. Dayna describes Girls Hope as a true family and said her favorite memory about being in the program is the love. "When you live in a house of teenage girls, things are bound to get dramatic and at times pretty difficult. We fought a lot, but when it came down to it, we were sisters who had each other's backs. When we needed each other most we were always good for a laugh, a hug, or even the sometimes necessary tough love. That is my favorite memory – the love." Prior to Girls Hope, Dayna … [Read more...]
As our 15th and most recent college graduate, Shelby earned a bachelor's degree in Health Management Services with a minor in Psychology from Carlow University in December 2016. While her college days may be behind her, it is no surprise that when she reflects on her time spent earning her degree, her memories are a lot more than simply sitting in a classroom. In true Girls Hope fashion, Shelby juggled a multitude of extracurricular activities in addition to a full course load throughout her college career. Not only did she complete an internship at Northwestern Mutual, but she competed on Carlow's cross-country team (for which she earned a scholarship), and was an active participant in a "talk-time' program, where she built long-lasting partnerships with students around the world as … [Read more...]
Prior to entering Girls Hope's long term scholarship program, Tammy was living in an unstable household, where education was not a priority. Instead of being urged to focus on her studies and do well in school, she was encouraged to drop out and start working. When her mother became homeless, she began to consider legal emancipation. Then she found Girls Hope. "I was in my second freshman year of high school, planning to eventually drop out," Tammy said. "During my first interview for Girls Hope, I remember telling [the program director] that what I really needed was someone who cared about me enough to push me. She must have seen something in me that day, because shortly after, I became a Girls Hope scholar." Although Tammy had successfully secured a spot in the Girls Hope program, … [Read more...]
Josette became Girls Hope's 13th college graduate when she earned a degree in Child and Family Services from La Roche College in 2015. She currently works as a Patient Care Technician at UPMC. … [Read more...]
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In modern dentistry, dental implants are a proven alternative to missing teeth. They provide a stable, long-lasting solution to incorrectly fitted dentures or missing teeth. With implants your Boulder CO dentist will be able to restore the functionality of your natural teeth without bridges or other appliances. Jaw structure will be corrected and your face will be more aesthetically pleasing, especially if you have gotten that "sunken" look from the loss of multiple teeth. This is because the implant will actually osseointegrate (bond) with the existing bone.
Research has confirmed that implants are a predictable and proven treatment option for missing teeth. Though they have actually been available since the 1970's, the improvements made in the ensuing years have helped to perfect the procedure, making it one of the most popular and effective options accessible today.
Before the treatment is performed, your Boulder dentist will complete a comprehensive evaluation of your teeth and gums to ensure that implants are an appropriate solution for your needs. If other problems exist, such as gum disease, those will likely be taken care of prior to the procedure.
The easiest way to grasp the way an implant functions is to conjure a picture of your teeth in your mind. Every one of your teeth contains two main sections: a root and a crown. Because the dental implant acts as the tooth's root, which is below the gum line, a surgical procedure is required for its placement. The treatment is generally completed under general sedation or IV. Placing the implant requires that the gum tissue be opened, allowing it to be placed into the jawbone.
The healing period for this initial step of the process varies from three to six months in order to provide time for the osseointegration, or fusing, of the bone. Your Boulder CO professional will likely provide a temporary crow during this time to help with the chewing process and provide a more pleasing appearance.
Following the appropriate healing time, the dental implant will be uncovered and an abutment placed. This will act as a connector between the replacement teeth or tooth and the implant(s). The placing of the new tooth will complete the procedure.
Implants can be placed to replace multiple teeth or for a single tooth. Because of their durability and stability, they will have the functionality of your natural teeth and enhance the jaw and face structure, providing a greater aesthetically pleasing look.
At the completion of the dental implant process, your Boulder dentist will discuss appropriate dental care with you. Because bacteria can still affect your gums and teeth if not cared for properly, excellent oral hygiene habits should continue as well as regular visits and cleanings. With proper maintenance, your new implants can last throughout your life.


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Globe-trotting replica theatre pops up in Melbourne with rare Shakespeare experience
Pop-up Globe theatre is the world's first full-scale temporary working replica of London's second Globe from the 1600s
Van Badham
@vanbadham
Wed 13 Sep 2017 08.00 EDT Last modified on Wed 13 Sep 2017 19.02 EDT
Actors perform for the media before the official unveiling of the Pop-up Globe theatre, which was erected in six weeks in Melbourne. Photograph: Stefan Postles/AAP
Shakespeare compared breasts to globes in The Rape of Lucrece, and used a globe in the punchline of a fat joke in The Comedy of Errors. The Pop-Up Globe that's appeared in the grounds of Melbourne's Myer Music Bowl serves a kinder purpose, if one no less Shakespearean. It will be staging four of Shakespeare's plays and a contemporary work with a Shakespearean theme over the course of a repertory season that opens on 21 September and runs until 12 November.
The Book of Mormon review – a visionary musical masterpiece, genital jokes and all
The Globe, of course, was Shakespeare's own famous London playhouse. Built in 1599, it was destroyed by fire in 1613, resurrected in 1614, and "closed by (the) ordinance" of the dastardly Puritans in 1642. By 1645, the history's dullest religious zealots had had the vocational home of Britain's greatest theatremaker razed to the ground to make way for tenement buildings. But one should never underestimate the patience of British vengeance; in 1997, a replica Globe was erected in London not too far from the original site and has served as a working theatre ever since.
Melbourne's present pop-up owes its existence not to this theatre, so much as it does the depiction of the same in a picture book for children.
According to Miles Gregory, the artistic director and instigator of the Pop-Up Globe, the idea came to him while reading to his three-year old daughter. "The Globe popped up and she said, 'Daddy, can we go there?'". As they were living in Auckland, New Zealand, at the time, his initial answer was no. But Gregory had spent his "whole life fascinated by Elizabethan amphitheatres", and had a collection of degrees in Shakespearean scholarship obtained from universities in Britain, so inspiration soon took hold.
Actors perform on stage at the the Pop-up Globe theatre in Melbourne. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Using extant sketches of the second Globe made in the 1630s, Gregory sought to replicate not the replica, but the authentic experience of up close, stripped back Elizabethan theatre from the second Globe's design.
"The project was big and exciting and seemingly impossible," he says ... and it was completed in 15 months, just in time to coincide with Shakespeare's 400th birthday celebrations in February 2016. He capitalised on the project by mortgaging his house, and with the support of a friend he'd known since he was four.
As a gamble, it's paid off – the Pop-up Globe has completed two seasons in New Zealand, and already sold 40,000 tickets for its first repertory rotations in Melbourne. Three companies with a total personnel of 90 travel with the show, as does its wardrobe of 500 bespoke costumes. The size is warranted for the programme; no less than 14 individual shows are staged every week of its season. It's a relentless schedule replicated in the physical construction of the theatre itself; the whole Pop-up is assembled over just six weeks, and packed down in less than three.
Miles Gregory sought to capture the authentic experience of up close, stripped back, Elizabethan theatre from the second Globe's design. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Those expecting the smell of the greasepaint and roar of the crowd to emanate from galleries of tiles and timber should be prepared. "This is not a lime and hair museum," Gregory says. While the audience pit before the stage still demands its patrons stand, and the roof is every bit as open to the rain, the structure swaps the tiles of the original for corrugated iron and timber stalls for metal scaffolds – "honest material", according to Gregory, and always sourced locally. Gregory's own delight is in the strength of illusion conjured on his pared-down stage, its power over the audience. "They come to see the building," he smiles, "but they come back … for the performances."
Repeat viewings are affordable. Those wishing to experience Henry V, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello or Around The Globe in 60 Minutes can do so for standing tickets starting at $20.33. The fancy option of a somewhat royal-like private box is available from $150 with refreshments included. As previews begin this week, Melbourne, be aware: We the globe can compass soon / Swifter than the wandering moon.
• The Pop-up Globe season runs from 21 September to 12 November, with previews this week


We accept all major cards accepted, american express, master card and visa for payment. Certified in obstetrics & gynecology. We can assist you with birth control, board certified, counseling and menopause. In practice since 1982. High risks ob, incontinence, laparoscopic surgery, all board certified in obstetrics & gynecology.
I had a miscarriage while being their patient, and i miscarried alone in my house because they wouldnt schedule me for an appointment. The doctors are over crowded with patient and they dont have the time to deal with new patient. The nurses are rude and dont care about what your going thru.
If you have used the services of Mishal Bender & OB-Gyn Associates we'd love to hear from you! Use the form below to review and comment on your experience.


Join us for our 4th Annual Nerf War Extravaganza! We provide Ammunition, you just need to bring your protective gear and weapon of choice. We even provide lunch!
Come on down for a ton of fun! Saturday May 18th, 2019.


As emphasized in Part One of this series, every new year is an opportunity for a fresh start. For anyone who is still figuring out their goals and priorities for the new year, below are five more suggestions –– building off of Part One –– for new year's resolutions focused around the theme of mental health and wellbeing.
Humans depend on nature; however, as society has evolved, we have migrated to more urban areas and forgotten the value of forests, parks, and green areas. Spending time in green spaces has innumerable benefits. Not only do green spaces improve your mental health and well-being, but they also provide an environment for activity and exercise. As parks lose popularity, childhood obesity rises. Those without access to parks or related outdoor spaces are less likely to be physically active.
New Year, new resolutions, new best practices for your wellbeing!
at all. Instead, it's nature. People living closer to green environments have improved general health. The easiest way you can help relieve stress or tension is to go outside and immerse yourself nature. Simply listening to nature sounds enhances your mood and aids in stress recovery. If you do not have physical-access to nature or parks, try out these apps for nature sounds: "Rain Rain…" and "Naturespace".
Recent studies show that being in nature may also increase our willingness to be generous, trusting, and helpful toward others. Value our National Parks and take advantage of their health and life benefits.
Reflect on the quality relationships you have in your life, and spend more time with people you care about to strengthen those relationships. These relationships can later serve as your support system and as the people you turn to when you need to talk or face a challenge in life. In general, having people you trust that you can turn to at any time will elevate your wellbeing.
Traveling does not have to be expensive. Even exploring a nearby city can be an adventure. Immersing yourself in a new environment can be a great learning experience.
Traveling can create lasting memories and it broadens your horizons, as you connect with different people. After traveling, you may even have a new perspective or outlook on life, as you have had the opportunity to see life from a different angle –– in whichever new place you visited.
It is crucial to see sleep as something you "need" to do every night, rather than something you "get" to do, as emphasized by Stanford sleep specialist, Dr. Rafael Pelayo.
Sleep is the most basic bodily need, as we need to be attentive and energetic throughout the day. However, according to a poll by the National Sleep Foundation, almost 75% of teenagers are not getting enough sleep, and adults are not doing much better. We see this at a time where there is clear data showing the relationship between sleep deprivation and suicidal behavior. Sacrificing sleep to study has been shown to cause academic problems.
From improving memory and increasing attention span to keeping your body happy and healthy, the benefits of sleep are endless.
Healthy amount of sleep is around 8 to 10 hours per night for teenagers, and 7 to 9 hours per night for adults. You can strengthen your quality sleep time by trying these apps: "Sleep Zen Sounds…" and "Sleep Cycle alarm clock".
Besides the number of hours, keeping a regular sleep pattern is essential. On weekends, staying up late or sleeping-in excessively will eventually damage your quality of sleep and can negatively impact your 'biological clock', or the natural rhythm of your body's behaviors.
At night, staying away from blue light (cellphones, computer screens, etc.) can help you fall asleep faster and prevent disorientation of your circadian rhythm.
Despite living in a certain area, we often may not be familiar with the direct community surrounding us. Visit places within your area that you have not seen before, maybe attend a city-wide or community event, and familiarize yourself with where you live. You never know, you may build lifelong memories this way or you may find a new friend or form a new healthy routine within your neighborhood.
Nadia is an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley with a passion for youth mental health advocacy. In 2016, she founded the 501c3 nonprofit TeenzTalk after her own experience with aiding in the prevention of her close friend's suicide.
TeenzTalk empowers youth voice, focusing on education and open conversation to fight the stigma around mental health. In 2017, Nadia spearheaded TeenzTalk's first-annual Teen Wellness Conference in Santa Clara County, bringing together 220 youth from 88 schools and 15 counties in California.
Nadia also plays an active role in various mental health advisory boards and committees in the community, including Children's Health Council, Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing, and One Love Foundation.
Nadia most enjoys meeting people and hearing their stories.