By Julia Bastos, Staff Writer
In recognition of Climate Week this year, the fifteen-digit clock in New York City’s Union Square now displays the precise amount of time left until the effects of climate change on the planet become unrepairable—until we reach the point of no return. The artists responsible for the clock, New York Times bestselling author Gan Golan and activist Andrew Boyd, sought to portray the urgency of this deadline.
The need for action to address climate change is not debatable. However, the Climate Clock’s effectiveness is more questionable.
I would not argue that the clock is useless—it has likely inspired many to make small lifestyle changes, like buying reusable coffee cups, eating vegan meals, or using less unnecessary electricity. All great initiatives, but the issue lies within the audience it’s reaching, and its inability to prompt broader change.
The numbers on the clock are terrifying, but placing them in Union Square doesn’t do much beyond strike fear in regular people. A sense of urgency is thrust upon consumers, who are largely unable to materially change their lifestyles enough to truly solve climate change. The Climate Clock shifts blame from large corporations—who collectively emit 71% of global greenhouse gasses—onto people who might not be able to do anything despite feeling inclined to. It is not financially feasible for every person to prioritize environmental sustainability when buying their groceries or living their lives, especially when cheaper products are packaged in less sustainable materials like styrofoam, and buying organic and local can affect how much food you will be able to afford. Being able to shop at organic health stores and buy reusable everything is a privilege.
Even if everyone did have the means, no amount of individual action alone would fix our planet. Government initiatives like protecting ecosystems, promoting green energy, and enacting sustainability legislation, however, certainly can.
Rebecca Tabb ‘20, a Bryn Mawr graduate who is committed to a vegan and sustainable lifestyle, acknowledges that while it is unreasonable to expect two artists to solve climate change, “the finger is being pointed in the wrong direction.” Those who do need to see a Climate Clock on a daily basis are those in charge of countries and large corporations. “It’s not like Jeff Bezos is going to be walking past the clock and deciding to change everything about how Amazon works,” says Tabb.
The clock is projecting “funded anxiety onto people who have no way of changing anything,” says Bryn Mawr student Sydney Ethan ‘22.
The public has been broadcasted a timeline without any resources available detailing how to help. Whether or not the clock is a stand-alone project, “it feels like one,” Tabb states. What is truly necessary right now is more action than just an Instagram story share. It’s not enough to just spread awareness—concrete action must be taken. We are all aware that the earth needs saving; people now need direction on how to enact systematic change—where the clock misses the point.
Tabb and Ethan agree that if there was something accompanying the clock, it would be more effective. Although there is a website with scientific information, instructions on building your own clock, and how to donate and support the project, it does not provide information on how to make significant change past the individual level. Ethan believes that links to petitions and representatives’ phone numbers that you can call to demand climate action would be more helpful. What people need is guidance on how to take direct action, not fearmongering.
We all have a role to play in improving the health of our planet, and we should do what we can, but scaring people without giving them a solution is useless. The majority of us who saw the Climate Clock forgot about it soon afterward. Next year, the artists plan on taking the clock to Paris. My hope for the project is for it to not only spread awareness, but to educate people, make environmental solutions more accessible, and hold those in immediate power more accountable.
Image credit: The New York Times
Hi Julia!
I am a recent Haverford alum and have been working with the artists as part of their global team. I agree with you— for too long, the way individuals have been called to action in the environmental movement is through somewhat meaningless, inaccessible, individual lifestyle changes that distract individuals from organizing together, just another form of consumer manipulation serving “eco” brands.
What has inspired me by the project is it’s focus on monumental status, on creating a number that speaks to people all around the world, on generating a material symbol that reflects the urgency with which communities should act ~together. As part of the global team, I have had the privilege to correspond with teams and individuals from around the world who have gotten in touch with the artists in order to start the process of building clocks in their own towns and cities. We receive emails from all over the world, from Thailand to Zimbabwe to Mexico to Slovenia to India to Italy to Canada, etc.. As part of this global network, teams are working together to get their cities in sync, to get people all over the world on the same timeline to create a global precedent to work together.
Whereas much of the environmental movement *has* focused on pressuring the individual, the monumental status of the climate clocks speaks to the public. Individuals may not have the power to change much by themselves, but individuals who team up with one another, join organizations, and strategize to pressure governments to regulate corporations, *d0* have power. Rather than view the clock as speaking to individuals, my experience as part of the global team has demonstrated that the clock inspires collaborations and coalitions.
One of the great things to come from this work is having the opportunity to learn how other teams want to approach it. There are teams thinking of disseminating clocks in local malls, projecting the clocks on iconic landmarks, and other teams working on generating location specific metrics to reflect location specific goals, designing QR codes to channel people to different organizations in their area, and there are teams working to build a curriculum for students around the clock, around collective action in the name of the people against corporations and against slow to act or even acknowledge, neoliberal governments. The cool thing about the QR code is the potential for it to highlight different movements in local areas and to put people in touch. If there are specific things you think the QR code could link people to, we’d love to integrate your input. The clock has created the precedent for more effective, globally distributed clocks— and has gotten enough buzz that we have been able to start a lot of conversations and develop the project with globally sourced input.
The US and Western powers create the precedent for alienation of the individual from her community, prepping the ideal, anxiety-ridden consumer. The Climate Clock team is looking to inspire people to join together, to sync up teams of citizens around the world and mobilize collective action. There is urgency to act, but the hope is for people to turn that fear into a collective energy. You’re right, Jeff Bezos probably will never be convinced he is a monster by the good will of a few people or by a monument— but to erase the power individuals have when they work as a collective is to produce helplessness, and I don’t think the world needs anymore individuals who feel helpless right now, when there are so many people strategizing effectively who would benefit from increased people power.
If you’re interested in meeting to further discuss your ideas about what the clock could do in its disseminated form, I’d be happy to call.
Hi Becca!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I would love to continue this conversation with you sometime. My email is jbastos@brynmawr.edu. Please reach out to that email and we’ll make plans for a call.