Artist uses ‘historic’ markers to raise climate awareness

DURHAM, N.H. (AP) — A public arts project in New England communities features signs that imagine possible future effects of climate change to raise awareness about issue.

“Remembrance of Climate Futures” project has been installed in Durham, New Hampshire, and Essex, Massachusetts. It will also come to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

signs are based on possibilities laid out in scientific research that towns have used to develop ir climate plans and written from perspective of someone in 22nd century looking back.

“ concept is to just really take that information that is on websites and pack it in a way to insert it into landscape where people will bump into it,” said rastern University’s Thomas Starr, who came up with project kwn as ”Remembrance of Climate Futures.” He has placed 11 plaques in Durham, New Hampshire, six in Essex, Massachusetts, and is planning to install some in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well.

“re seems to be difficulty in getting people to eng in this issue,” he said. “We do hear about it fairly often. Yet, people don’t think of it in an immediate way.”

Scientists have warned that global warming will result in rising seas and more heat waves, droughts, powerful storms, flooding and or problems. Many of impacts can alrey be seen: U.N.’s World Meteorological Organization released a report last month that showed that in last several years warming, sea level rise and carbon pollution have all accelerated.

Despite dire warnings and growing acceptance that climate change is to blame for increasing frequency of wear disasters, many Americans still see it as a problem affecting far-away places or a problem that ir children or grandchildren will have to grapple with.

To counter that apathy, Starr and ors have turned to public art to get mess out that climate change is coming to New England communities. markers imagine events like a boathouse destroyed in a storm surge from a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 24, 2032, or a heat-inspired tick outbreak that forced a park to close on June 8, 2044.

“We re on news about Arctic ice caps melting and impacts on polar bears,” said Durham’s Town ministrator Todd Selig. “But that is very hard for someone in Durham, New Hampshire, going about ir busy life to relate to and to grasp.”

Or markers are more hopeful, imagining commemorating how Durham switched to 100% renewable energy on July 20, 2040, or planted elm trees in May 2026 to reduce urban heat effect.

“It’s a good thing. At least we can say to our grandchildren that we did something,” said am Perkins, a tow truck driver from Durham, who was looking at a renewable energy plaque at town hall recently.

Anthony Leiserowitz, director of Yale Program On Climate Change Communication, said project is just one of several that is using invative ways to bring issue to public.

One in Florida encours people to place large numbers on ir homes to show how many feet melting glacial water must rise before structures are underwater. Ar placed cardboard cutouts of ostriches chatting about climate change in Boston’s subway system.

“It’s a very clever idea because it’s a way of sparking conversation where people live,” Leiserowitz said of New England project.

It is unclear what impact, if any, signs are having. Durham is home to University of New Hampshire, and interest in climate change is generally stronger in college towns. Eventually, Starr hopes to bring his project to more conservative communities where skepticism might be higher like towns in Midwest that experienced destructive floods this spring.