Cornucopia

'Saving our Planet’ an installation

This Installation consists of 9 large ceramic cornucopias, each 30cc wide and 44cm high, cradled inside welded steel tripods, each 40cc high. And one sculpted piece called ‘Population Explosion’ 30cc high and 36cc square.

The Earth - represented by a pattern of diatoms

Our Earth suffers from soil erosion, oil-drilling and coal- mining.

We dump nuclear waste, plastics, dyes, deodorants, fragrances, bleaches, refrigerants, solvents, wood preservatives - and high levels of DDT still pollute the ground.

Our Earth suffers from monocultures, overuse, the stripping of the topsoil, fertilizers and sprays.

The Air and Atmosphere

The Air Quality is decreasing above the Earth.

Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen, dioxide, carbon monoxide all poison the air.

Far more clean energy sources must be developed in order to stabilize the atmosphere and prevent global warming.

There is not much time left to change our ways.

Fresh Water

Fossil waters underground cannot be replaced, rivers and lakes are drying up. Wetlands shrink, fresh-water systems dry up.

Dams are built promoting catastrophic water shortages. And today, the growing population uses more water to grow more food for each new generation, needing irrigation.

Cities and industry require ever more water.

Gardens and Golf Courses are over-watered.

Rivers are polluted with pesticides, nitrates and phosphates.

Fresh-water fish and creatures suffer and disappear.

Sea-levels will rise as ice-caps melt and land will be inundated with salt water.

More water re-cycling is needed, rain-water harvested.

Maybe more reservoirs and desalination plants could be built.

Trees and Forests

The destruction of the rainforests is responsible for a quarter of all greenhouse emissions.

Forests help sponge up water, preventing flooding and landslides.

Forest fires, slash and burn farming and illegal logging wipe out huge tracts of forest. Deforestation of the native forests has been replaced with plantations of single-tree species.

Invasive species of animals and diseases collapse many species.

The Beasts

Land clearance, for crops, highways etc. all account for loss of habitats. Many species are now hemmed in.

Poaching and trophy—hunting still trade in the world’s most endangered species. Bush-meat continues unchecked.

Previously untouched species are being exposed to disease through international trade and travel.

Pollution from antibiotics for farm animals, and the introduction of alien species - like invasions of rats – are found in once pristine places.

Birds and Insects

Every year another bird species flies out of existence. Our cats have caused at least 65 bird species since 1500. Magpies and squirrels prey on eggs. The Dawn Chorus fades. We claim their land. Insects are sprayed with pest control.

Bees filled with 16 chemicals. Butterflies lose their habitats. Climates change.

Plants

One in four of Earth’s 40.000 plus plants species is already on the brink. As we discover new, we lose even more.
Diversity has disappeared.

Our wild flowers are being rooted out and their habitats lost.

Intensive agriculture, overgrazing and widespread use of herbicides and chemicals are to blame.

We mow and suburbanize roadsides in the country. Hedges are cut back, and many destroyed to use larger agricultural machines. Ivy is allowed to strangle the older trees.

Amphibians and Reptiles

90% of the world’s 5743 amphibian species are in decline.

Disappearing wetlands, pollution, trade in live frogs, tortoise and turtle species are threatened with extinction.

Disease-causing fungi have devastated frog, toad and salamander populations.

Heavy traffic and new roads divide populations and kill them.

Overgrazing and bad farm management, and land clearance destroy habitats.

Even tourism causes damage to vulnerable sites.

The introduction of new species into an environment wipe out the existing inhabitants.

Perhaps there are too many of us?

The world’s population has exploded.

Perhaps birth control should be more widespread?

Although more Humans are living longer and new populations of children survive from better medicines and living conditions, we have to reduce the world’s massive reproduction. Why are we more important than other creations with which we share our planet?

We should nurture and appreciate the diversity of other inhabitants that live on Earth.

Population Explosion

More written evidence is in a dissertation written by me if required.

'Overpopulation' (detail)